Under Skin So Thick
by AllPurpleInk
Summary: Kurt meets Blaine, a rebellious reform school student, and is immediately intrigued by his mysterious ways. But is Blaine really the badboy that he portrays himself to be? Could there be more to his past? And is it possible that Kurt is falling for him?
1. Swimming in Deep Waters

_**Author's Note:**__** Hey there! So, my sister and I have been working on the first draft of a Dalton Reform Klainefic for a while. I'm very excited (and, to be honest, quite nervous) to share my new draft. The topics involved are a little heavier than I've written before, but I sincerely hope that I can pull them together tastefully for this story. I believe that, overall, this fic really does have a beautiful arc of a plotline and some great character metamorphosis… maybe you will agree. And, of course, I hope you all like it and leave any comments in reviews!**_

_**Due to the "teen" rating, I figure I should include a warning about what controversies will show up over the course of this story. It involves the use of homophobic insults and some verbally/physically abusive relationships. I may add other warnings later, depending on what this new draft turns into as I write. If you have any questions or concerns about this, feel free to let me know.**_

_**For those of you reading my other multi-chapter fic "All of These Puzzle Pieces," just be aware that I **__**DO**__** plan on continuing. Updates may take longer to post, due to the fact that I'll be attempting work on this story as well (and becoming increasingly busy in real life), but I will definitely be writing ATPP all the way through to the ending. **_

_**And, lastly, the plot summary. (Again, my sister gets half-credit for the content of this story's original draft. If you want to contact her, her Tumblr URL is on my profile.) Kurt is a volunteering student tutor at Dalton Reform School for Boys. He meets Blaine, a rebellious (and admittedly attractive) student, and is immediately intrigued by his mysterious ways. But is Blaine really the badboy that he portrays himself to be? Could there be more to his past than he is willing to confess? And is it possible that Kurt could be falling for him, in spite of everything? **_

_**I'm going to stop rambling in my AN now. Honestly, I will be extremely flattered if I hear that anyone actually went to the trouble of reading this whole thing. ;) So, without further ado, here is "Under Skin So Thick." **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 1: Swimming in Deep Waters~

Dalton Reform School for Boys, a looming, brick establishment hidden along the outskirts of Westerville, Ohio, seemed to have been strategically tucked away from the majority of the public eye. And for good reason, based upon the reputation of its students. No one messed with Dalton Reform boys.

Kurt Hummel, a new and wary volunteer tutor, maneuvered his car into the school parking lot and shuddered at the sight before him. It had been a warm, summerlike day that morning when he had left the house, but now the clouds hung dark and heavy overhead. Kurt climbed out of the car and pulled his designer, gray coat tighter around his body while the wind whipped forcefully at the tails of his scarf. It seemed to be trying to tug him in the opposite direction, back to the road and- beyond that- the comforts of home, where he _should_ have been spending his Sunday morning.

Kurt swallowed dryly, trying not to think about the fact that he was about to walk into a minefield of barely-controllable juvenile delinquents. These students, Kurt had heard, were more than likely to be rugged, unpleasant, and frightening. And he was here to _tutor_ them?

…What in the world had he been thinking?

Yes, signing up for this had come with the promise of enough class credit to free him of that god-awful gym class at McKinley. But… _this? _This was ridiculous, if not life-threatening. He couldn't go into that building. No way.

Kurt sighed, an unfortunate mental image of Azimio aiming a dodgeball at his face urging him dejectedly onward. Well, this was certainly turning out to be a lose-lose situation.

Inside, Kurt found himself in the main lobby, a drab-looking center for the posting of bulletins and notices, secured to aged corkboards and crudely graffiti-covered filing cabinets. In the corner, a gray-haired secretary sat at a student desk, scribbling notes into a manila folder. The nameplate at the head of her desk read _Joanne Faust._ Kurt approached her tentatively. "Um, hello," he murmured, trying to keep his tone even and pleasant.

Joanne looked up, eyeing him impassively. She smacked her gum loudly. "Name?" she croaked.

"Kurt Hummel. I'm… I'm a new tutoring volunteer," he offered.

The secretary muttered incomprehensibly under her breath, flipping to another page in her folder. "Yup," she confirmed, popping a blue-green bubble, and then dragging the deflated gum back into her mouth. "You'll be working in the Resources and Assistance room, across the hall from the cafeteria. Just look for the redhead- Mary- she'll tell you what to do."

Kurt nodded gratefully. "Okay," he replied, already hurrying away from Joanne and her irritable glare. "Thank you."

It didn't take Kurt more than a few minutes to realize that he was already lost, wandering the ancient halls without even the slightest indication as to where to find the cafeteria. The corridors were dimly-lit and eerily lonely; Kurt was sure he would scream if someone tried to sneak up behind him at this point. Thankfully, though, the first two people he came across were far from stealthy- in fact, Kurt was well aware of their presence in the hall long before they had even noticed him. Talking distractedly amongst one another, the two students meandered along until Kurt was barely a yard away. One of them, a bleach-blonde, lanky boy, looked up at him with unfriendly eyes.

Trying not to look too vulnerable, Kurt offered a brief, guarded glance and moved on.

"Hey!" the blonde called. "You new?"

Kurt stopped in his tracks. _Crap._ "I'm in a peer-tutoring program," he answered curtly, hoping that would be enough information to send the two on their way.

The other boy, the brunette, chuckled. "Bet you've never been to a school like this before, huh?" he mused. "Get lost yet?"

Biting his lip, Kurt decided that he had best not let down his defenses in front of them. "'Course not…" he muttered, trying his best to look indifferent.

The boy rolled his eyes in response. "Right," he answered, sounding far from convinced. "Well, good luck with that." Smirking, he turned and began walking again, the blonde at his side.

Kurt, feeling both relieved and annoyed at their unwillingness to help him, let out a quiet sigh and continued to walk in the opposite direction. "Well, isn't this just _awesome_," he grumbled to himself, turning a corner.

He stopped in his tracks.

There was a boy across the hall from him. He was leaning back against a classroom door, looking bored and rockstar-like in a thin white t-shirt and open leather jacket, a navy-and-red striped tie hanging loosely around his neck. The fact that he was wearing the school colors in such an awkward attempt at accessorizing should have been lame, and yet… combined with the dark, tousled head of curls and fitted black jeans, the boy looked somehow… attractive. _Very_ attractive.

Feeling suddenly small and insignificant, Kurt gazed down at the floor and walked silently forward. Normally so capable of pulling off an air of confidence whenever necessary, his nerves already felt shaken to the bone and- quite frankly- he really didn't want another confrontation. Hoping not to draw any attention to himself, Kurt hurried along, until, with a loud clanging noise, he managed to bang his lowered head against an open locker door. It slammed shut, the sound reverberating through the empty hall.

Groaning internally, Kurt winced at the echo of a coughing laugh, like someone trying not to crack up at something that was just too funny to handle. _Perfect._

"There's a locker there, you know," the observer commented dryly.

Kurt still couldn't bring himself to look at the dark-haired boy. His pulse was racing enough as it was, and now his head throbbed, as well. He rubbed his scalp tenderly. "Yeah, I got that," he retorted dismissively, and continued walking. No way was he about to hang around and let this guy mess with him.

But, apparently, Rockstar Boy had a different course of action in mind. Kurt listened as he fell into step behind him, casually, as if it weren't at all out-of the-ordinary to be following a stranger down an abandoned corridor. Eventually, the two were side-by-side, and Kurt had to fight to keep his eyes downcast and submissive. The last thing he wanted to do was pick a fight with a reform school student.

"You don't go here, do you?" the boy asked finally.

At this, Kurt turned to meet his gaze. He had hazel eyes, framed by long, dark eyelashes and embedded with a million secrets. Suddenly, Kurt couldn't look away. He shook his head. "Nope. Just volunteering."

The boy's eyes narrowed slightly, skeptical. "I didn't know we were a charity," he retorted.

Hastily, Kurt shook his head, feeling his eyes widen and his face flush. "Oh, no… no," he clarified quickly, his heartbeat quickening again. "Of course not. I'm just… I just-"

Rockstar Boy smirked. "Uh-huh," he stated. "That's okay. We all know we're outcasts around here. I could tell you weren't a student just from the sight of your outfit. And your eyes."

Kurt blinked. "My eyes?" he repeated unsurely.

Keeping his gaze on the hall ahead of them, the other boy nodded. Kurt could see a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yup. You look lost. And innocent. _Very_ lost and innocent, actually."

"I'm not _that_ innocent!" Kurt protested, feeling lame and rather naïve in having to point this out. He frowned. "But… I am lost," he admitted hopelessly.

With another smirk, Rockstar Boy shrugged. "Right," he answered simply, confirming Kurt's belief that he was truly not going to be of any help. "Well, I'll see you around, I guess." Turning swiftly, the boy disappeared through a door labeled _restrooms._

Kurt sighed, halting his footsteps. He was getting annoyed… annoyed with the fact that he had to do this, annoyed with this boy who wasn't making it any easier for him. "You know, the polite thing to do would be to help me!" he called out on a whim.

The door cracked open, allowing for the boy's head to peek through. "You really expect us to be _polite_ around here, Pretty Boy?" he asked, giving him a bemused look up and down. Kurt rolled his eyes, trying not to get overwhelmed by the fact that he wasn't exactly used to being checked out by good-looking guys. Or _any_ guys, really. "You look like you need someone to corrupt you a little bit."

Kurt's mouth hardened, his eyes narrowing and eyebrows quirking into his signature irritated look. "Please," he stated dryly. "Just tell me where to find the cafeteria."

The other boy tilted his head, surveying Kurt thoughtfully. "It'll cost you," he replied finally.

Rolling his eyes, Kurt pulled his wallet from the pocket of his skinny jeans. Whatever; he could give up a little spare cash if it would save him from being tormented.

Rockstar Boy let out an amused laugh. "Not quite what I had in mind…" he said, smiling. "Then again, I won't get anything else from you, will I?"

Kurt frowned. What else could this guy want aside from money? There was no chance that Kurt was giving up a McQueen scarf to some jerk of a reform school kid. But, then, this boy didn't look particularly interested in designer labels. "What did you have in mind?"

The boy leaned a little farther out the door, his voice dropping to a raspy whisper and his lips tugging back in a tiny smirk. "Ever kiss a boy before?"

Instantly, Kurt sucked in a sharp breath. He took a step away, his back brushing against the lockers that lined the hallway. "Wh-what?" he stuttered. Rockstar Boy must have known the truth somehow. Was the prejudice that Kurt went through every day at school really that visible in his eyes? All of McKinley knew he was gay. About three quarters of that population had bullied him because of it. Surely this boy was no different. He had to be testing Kurt, planning how best to call him out for being different.

The boy rolled his eyes and stepped fully into the hall, letting the bathroom door fall shut behind him. "Ah," he mused. "That answers a few questions. Come on; I'll take you over there."

Kurt blushed, his hands clutching tightly at the strap of his messenger bag full of tutoring supplies. "Great," he replied breathlessly. He was getting exasperated already, and he had barely been here for half an hour.

Rockstar Boy smiled a little and started to make his way down the hall, Kurt following warily. "So, you got a name, Pretty Boy?" he asked, sounding curious.

Kurt nodded sourly. "Yup."

"Ouch," remarked the other boy, raising his thick eyebrows at Kurt in surprise. "Attitude much? I'm Blaine, by the way. Nice to meet you."

Smirking clandestinely at his own little victory, Kurt turned his gaze to Blaine. "Kurt," he replied softly.

"Hm. Cute." Blaine smiled wryly, gesturing at the set of large double-doors in front of them. "Here's the caf, Kurt," he said.

Kurt nodded. "Thank you, Blaine," he answered, because it seemed that they were mimicking politeness now. He watched as Blaine turned, walking back down the hall in the direction they had come.

"You know you still owe me, though, right?" he added, winking at Kurt over his shoulder.

In response, Kurt rolled his eyes. "Sure," he replied facetiously. He really didn't know what to think of this boy. Clearly, Blaine had the potential to be a complete jerk, and enough mystery about him to be the exact opposite. Plus, he had the appearance of a misplaced fashion model… smoldering hot, and yet stuck in a place where no one would care what he looked like. It was all very strange. And then, there was the most important question of all:

What sort of wrong had Blaine done to end up here?

_**Author's Note:**__** Sooo, what does everyone think? Reviews would be very much loved! :) Also, I'll probably update ATPP next, for those of you who are waiting for the next chapter. **_


	2. Tough

_**Author's Note:**__** Sooo, what does everyone think? Reviews would be very much loved! :) Also, I'll probably update ATPP next, for those of you who are waiting for the next chapter. **_

_**Author's Note:**__** Hello! I just updated ATPP, and now I'm getting right back to this. They tell you that keeping up with writing fanfiction is easy… they lie! ;) Haha, but it's definitely worth it. I hope that some people are enjoying this story? Review if you like (I shall mentally hug you in return).**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 2: Tough~

Kurt's morning tutoring session had been graciously uneventful. Only one student had come in for help, and he had simply looked too tired to cause any trouble. Kurt had given him a few tips, waited for him to show some level of understanding, and then sent him on his way with a stack of worksheets that he would probably never use. He had spent the next hour or so mindlessly browsing YouTube on his phone. Kurt hadn't forgotten about the events of that morning, but it seemed silly to dwell on them. Boys could be jerks sometimes. Whatever. He had dealt with worse from Puck and Azimio.

It was on Kurt's lunch break, however, that he was at last met with some relief. He had just sat down at one of the empty cafeteria tables with a school-issued lunch in front of him, when a small girl with long, auburn hair and a refreshingly friendly smile approached. "Hi," she said, sounding a bit shy. "I'm Lacey. I heard it was your first day volunteering here? It's mine, too."

Kurt, feeling grateful for this pleasant breath of fresh air in a place so devoid of kindness, grinned instantly and motioned for Lacey to sit beside him. "I'm Kurt," he replied.

She nodded and slid into the seat, placing a container of fresh salad on the table in front of her. Kurt sighed down at his tray of unidentifiable meat; he would _definitely_ be taking the same initiative the next time that he spent a full day here.

"Do you go to school around here?" Lacey asked curiously.

Kurt nodded. "McKinley," he answered. "You?"

"I'm homeschooled, actually. It's so weird being here… in a real school, I mean. Plus, all the guys kept giving me these creepy looks like they had never seen a girl before." Lacey smiled wryly, rolling her eyes. "I was on food-serving duty all morning. I've never had to ask 'eggs or pancakes?' so many times in my entire life."

Kurt nodded sympathetically. He was glad that he hadn't had to put up with quite so much social interaction with the students. "I was tutoring in the room across the hall," he explained. "I spent most of my time in there alone, thank goodness."

Lacey laughed softly and started to say something about how Kurt should start tutoring in the library, where she would be spending her weekday afternoons restocking the shelves. Kurt, however, was having trouble focusing, as his gaze was now locked on the dark-haired boy across the room.

Blaine.

He walked casually, all confidence, and although Kurt knew that he probably hadn't seen him, just thinking of that possibility made his stomach clench.

Lacey noticed Kurt's frozen stare and followed his gaze. She let out a thoughtful hum. "Oh… I got a word or two in with that guy earlier," she said. "Interesting character. Do you know him?"

With his eyes still on Blaine, Kurt shook his head. "No," he replied. "I talked to him for a few minutes this morning, though. He is interesting."

Lacey was silent for a moment. "He seemed… different from the others, somehow," she remarked, her voice hushed in spite of the fact that Blaine was well out of earshot. "I don't know what it is about him. He didn't look at me the same way as the other guys did."

Blaine's words echoed in Kurt's mind… _Ever kiss a boy before? _Suddenly, something clicked, and Kurt felt his eyes widen a bit at the realization. "I… I think he has some secrets," he said.

"Of course he does; he's a reform school boy," Lacey pointed-out with a little smile. "I just… I feel like he must have such an interesting story, you know? Where he came from and all that."

Lacey's eyes were on her salad now, but as Kurt's continued to trail Blaine's movement, he was suddenly taken off-guard. Blaine turned around, his gaze meeting Kurt's instantly, without even searching him out. It was kind of eerie, in a way, and way too intense. Kurt looked down hurriedly, his cheeks burning, and pushed away from the table. "Um, if you'll excuse me for a minute-" he stammered, already out of the cafeteria before Lacey could even respond.

The hall was thankfully quiet. Kurt leaned back against the lockers, trying to recollect his thoughts. Why was it that this particular boy made him freak out like that? Blaine _had_ helped him to find his way this morning, after all. He couldn't be all bad.

Abruptly, the silence in the hall was broken by a handful of boys heading for the cafeteria. They were all loud, brawny, and tall… Kurt felt himself shrink back a bit at just the sight of them. At McKinley, he knew that every one of them would have been pulled straight into the football team before they could even learn the name of the principal. One of them, a bulky guy with cropped brown hair and a sneering grin, looked Kurt over curiously. "Well, look what we've got here, boys," he jeered. "Fresh meat."

All too hesitantly, Kurt moved to get out of the way, but the group of guys had already surrounded him, boxing him in tightly. Oh, no. These were his fears coming to life; the toughest of the tough seemed to think that he was no more than a wimpy new student who needed a little shaking up. Trying not to show any emotion, Kurt cleared his throat and kept his eyes on the breaks between the bodies around him. "May I help you?" he asked.

The sneering boy gave him a little shove toward one of the other guys. Kurt stumbled forward, making them laugh cruelly. "You're kinda small to be hanging out around here, kid," the lead guy said. "What're you in for? Insulting displays of gayness?" He gestured to Kurt's outfit pointedly.

Kurt rolled his eyes. He had heard better. This guy was just a big Neanderthal. "What are you in for?" he retorted. "Insulting displays of stupidity?"

While the other boys snickered and jeered at his comeback, Kurt watched their leader's face turn to a stone-cold glare. "Hey!" he barked, quieting the others instantly. "Watch your mouth, you little-"

Suddenly, Kurt felt himself falling, and then being shoved and pushed and shoved again. The boys were tossing him around like a plaything; this was just a game to them, after all.

So this was how his first and last day here would end, then. A quick math tutoring lesson, a relatively friendly conversation with a stranger over a disgusting lunch, and a black eye or split lip. Or both.

Perfect.

Kurt squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the impending doom. He wondered how much it would hurt.

"Hey! Lay off, guys! You hurt any of the new volunteers and Burkes will lock you up in the basement for the rest of the semester."

No. Way.

Tentatively, Kurt opened an eye, and there- sure enough- was Blaine. He stood just outside the circle of guys, a look of legitimate authority on his face, despite the fact that he was much smaller and less built than the others. The pushing stopped instantly.

Kurt blushed, scrambling to pick up his fallen messenger bag. He had just been _saved_ by Blaine. What was that supposed to mean?

The lead guy rolled his eyes, giving Blaine an annoyed look, as if he had just called the police to interrupt a huge party. "Whatever," he grunted, and shoved Kurt forcefully into a locker before directing his entourage into the cafeteria.

Kurt crumpled to the floor and sighed shakily. He stared at the ground, unable to make himself look back up at Blaine. Would he want something in return?

A moment later, Kurt heard movement, and then Blaine was crouched down in front of him. Their eyes met. "You wouldn't last five minutes as a student here," Blaine declared solemnly.

Kurt glared at him. He had just been through a relatively traumatizing experience… and _that_ was all that this boy had to say to him? "I have no reason to go here," Kurt retorted huffily. "And if I _did_, I'm sure I'd be tougher."

Blaine smiled a bit and stood up. "That's an amusing mental image," he commented, and- to Kurt's surprise- offered him a hand up.

"I'm sure it is," Kurt replied, rolling his eyes. Still, he was grateful for the kind gesture. He took Blaine's hand.

In one swift movement, Blaine had yanked Kurt onto his feet and pressed against him, forcing both of their bodies together against the lockers. Kurt barely had time to react to the sudden closeness. He bit his tongue to hold back a gasp.

"I haven't forgotten this morning, you know," Blaine breathed against his ear.

Kurt sucked in an unsteady breath and bit his lip nervously. So Blaine _did_ expect something in return. He should have known. "What do you want from me, Blaine?" he shot back, although his voice came out much softer than he had intended.

"I think you remember what I said." Blaine's eyes were far too calm, staring into Kurt's as though he could see all the way to his soul. It was nerve-wracking.

Kurt's eyes widened a bit. "You were serious?" he asked, mind racing. _Ever kiss a boy before?_

"Dead serious," Blaine replied. "Best part is, I think you secretly want it."

And just when he had thought that things couldn't get much worse… Well, of course Blaine was extremely good-looking. He was probably a good kisser, too; some things were just inevitable. But, then, Kurt had yet to have his first real kiss, and he did _not_ want to give it up to some snotty reform school delinquent. "Why would I want it? I don't even know you." Kurt grimaced, leaning his head back as far away as he could from Blaine's.

"Yes, but you can't say that you're not at all attracted to me, now can you?"

Crap. Kurt was a terrible liar. Blushing, he turned away, trying uselessly to pull out of Blaine's grasp.

He smirked. "I thought so." Abruptly, Blaine stepped back, allowing Kurt to move away.

He didn't. If Kurt hadn't known it before, he certainly did now: Blaine _definitely_ liked guys. And- perhaps- he even liked Kurt. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. "You aren't as tough as you seem, you know," he told Blaine softly, searching his eyes. There had to be a weakness there, somewhere…

_There_, that was it. For a moment, Blaine's eyes flashed in surprise. He caught himself quickly, covering it up with a hardened gaze, but it was enough. Kurt knew the truth now; Blaine was truly not all that he appeared to be.

"Hey, watch out for that Karofsky kid and his gang of idiots, okay? They'll start trouble for everyone if you let them."

Kurt nodded. Then, on the sudden impulse that he had to establish some kind of understanding between himself and the mysterious boy in front of him, Kurt leaned forward. He kissed Blaine's cheek lightly.

As he pulled back, cheeks tinged pink, Kurt could see that Blaine was trying to hide his shock. He looked at Kurt unsurely. "What was _that_ supposed to mean?" he asked incredulously.

Shrugging, Kurt met Blaine's eyes. "Thanks," he replied. He wasn't entirely sure what had made him do it, but- mostly- he just wanted Blaine to know that he was thankful for the ways in which he had helped him that day. And, also, he felt that Blaine should not feel alone in having to keep his true self under wraps at times. Kurt could certainly relate.

"Oh," Blaine said simply, and looked away. He nodded once, and then turned to walk down the hall.

Kurt turned away as well, back to the cafeteria, smiling just a bit. He knew that he had left his mark; the only question now was whether or not he would regret it later. "You're not fooling me, Blaine," he commented, just for good measure.

Although Blaine did not look back, Kurt could distinctly make out the sound of a wry smile in his voice. "Think what you want," he replied. "See you around, Pretty Boy."


	3. Teenage Dream

_**Author's Note:**__** Hello again! :) I don't have much to say, except THANK YOU to those of you who have left reviews! It's wonderful to get any feedback on my stories at all. And, also, sorry again for the increase in time between updates lately. As much as I'd love to write all the time, I really must get out there and be inspired and such. Enjoy this next chapter! **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. Song credits in this chapter go to Katy Perry: "Teenage Dream." (But, of course, since that song is canon, the Darren Criss versions apply to this chapter, as well.) **_

~Chapter 3: Teenage Dream~

Another typical Monday passed at McKinley before Kurt found himself once again approaching the doors of Dalton Reform. He was almost thankful to have a distraction on that particular afternoon; his thoughts were plagued by the echoes of a loud Rachel Berry rant and the not-so-pleased responses of Mr. Schue. Glee club had, consequently, been particularly chaotic, and Kurt was sure that he would explode if he even tried to think about the mound of homework piled on his desk at home.

…Since when had tutoring the ill-disciplined become a sought after escape from reality?

Despite this uncertainty, Kurt was happy to be greeted immediately by Lacey as soon as he entered the building. "Hey there, Kurt," she said cheerfully. He smiled in return- this girl really was a sweetheart, after all. "We're both working in the library today. I just checked in, and Mary said that you were free to tutor in there if you'd like. I hope that's okay?"

Lacey's hopeful look was enough to make Kurt instantly want to be her friend. It was clear that she didn't have much experience with social interaction, but, still… she was too kind to reject. He nodded his approval and followed her up a nearby staircase.

"I found this place yesterday after we talked at lunch," she explained. "It's a pretty nice library, actually. Lots of hidden corners and places to explore."

Through the heavy wooden doors, Kurt was met with the sight of endless stacks of books and antique-looking décor. The place in which he now stood was clearly timeless. The dusty, leathery scent of old books in the air was somehow calming, and the sunlight that filtered through the huge, glass windows around the room made it feel like a different world from Dalton Reform entirely. Libraries just had that unique feel about them in general, and even Kurt couldn't resist the opportunity to look around a little. His tutoring job could wait a few minutes… besides, Lacey had lots of books to restock, and he wanted to help.

It was once the two had become separated by the wide expanses of shelves, however, that Kurt really began to enjoy himself. This place held so much more peace and quiet than he had experienced in a while, and the monotonous task of sliding battered novels into their proper dwellings was oddly relaxing. Softly, Kurt began to sing under his breath, muttering the lyrics to a song that had been playing on the radio as he had driven to Dalton that morning.

_"You think I'm pretty, without any makeup on_

_You think I'm funny, when I tell the punch-line wrong…"_

Kurt hesitated as the distant murmur of another voice began to sing along with him. Searching out the source of the harmony, Kurt looked down and was met by the sight of Blaine. He was curled into a corner at the end of the shelf, a large book placed open in his lap, breathing the song's lyrics. The tiniest of smiles tugged at the corners of his lips.

In shock, Kurt jumped, dropping a rather thick book to the floor with a loud thud_. _He had felt quite sure that he was alone.

Blaine smiled up at him. "G'afternoon, Pretty Boy. I see you've caught me skipping French."

Feeling a bit annoyed at Blaine's stealth, Kurt huffed and bent down to retrieve the fallen manuscript. "You shouldn't skip class, Blaine," he retorted lamely.

Blaine rolled his eyes. "Right," he said dryly. "I also shouldn't be in a reform school, but you know: life. Anyway-" He paused, shutting the book in his lap. "Enjoying the library?"

Kurt shrugged. He_ loved it_, actually, but he didn't want to start discussing the aesthetics of it with Blaine. He probably wouldn't appreciate the miniscule details, anyway. "It's nice," Kurt replied simply, and moved down the aisle to place another book in its proper spot.

Getting to his feet, Blaine turned to face Kurt. He was dressed a little differently than yesterday; today he wore no more than a casual pair of Converse sneakers, a black t-shirt, and slightly worn jeans. Still, he looked excellent. Kurt tried not to think about that too much. "Good," Blaine said. "Because it's probably the only decent place in this school. Well, that and the music room, but it's much easier to hide out in here."

"Music room?" Kurt blinked at Blaine curiously. He wondered if maybe Dalton had a glee club of its own… then again, it was hard to imagine reform school boys singing and dancing to show tunes.

"Yeah, you know… pianos and such?" Blaine offered, moving his fingers as if to mime playing an invisible keyboard.

Kurt rolled his eyes. This boy certainly knew how to shoot back a clever response- that was for sure. "I don't live in a cave," Kurt replied. "I know what they are." Sliding a few books into place, he avoided Blaine's eyes. He didn't want him to see how curious he really felt. "Do you go there a lot…?" Kurt wondered, trying to sound indifferent.

Blaine shrugged and leaned back against the opposite shelf. "Sometimes. A few of the guys and I like to hang out there every once in a while, but I'm the only one who-" He stopped abruptly, staring at Kurt as though he had just remembered that he was talking to someone at all. Blaine shook his head quickly and looked away. "Never mind. What about you? Are you into music?"

Biting his lip, Kurt thought over the thousands of hours he had spent analyzing musicals, rehearsing songs for glee, and dreaming of a future role on Broadway. He had to admit it: what Blaine wanted to know wasn't even a _question_ to him anymore. Maybe it never had been. "It's my life," Kurt answered doubtlessly.

Blaine nodded his understanding. "You have a pretty good singing voice," he admitted with a smirk. "You know, for a Pretty Boy type like yourself. I sing, too, if you were wondering."

Secretly, Kurt was glad to hear this little fun-fact; he could imagine Blaine to have a very good voice. Plus, Kurt had to confess- artistic talent was sexy. Singing ability was a definite bonus in his opinion. Still, he just rolled his eyes. "You probably think you're just amazing, don't you?" he remarked.

Smiling, Blaine pondered the question for a moment. "As a singer or as a person?" he asked at last.

Kurt shrugged. "Both," he replied, and began scaling a ladder to reach the upper shelves.

"As a singer: yes; more than amazing, for your information," Blaine answered with a smirk. Kurt grinned down at him, only to watch his expression darken a bit and his smile fade. "As a person… let's just say that I'm hoping to make up for the wrong I did to wind up here in the first place."

Kurt stared down at Blaine. For the life of him, he could not even begin to imagine the layers of secrets that this boy was covering up. "How can you be like that?" he wondered. "So… so full of yourself, yet… not."

Blinking back at him, Blaine shrugged. "I guess it just comes naturally," he replied, voice more sincere than Kurt had ever heard it. "It's my 'normal,' so to speak."

Truly, Blaine was such a mystery; Kurt simply couldn't help but feel intrigued. He smiled softly and quirked an eyebrow. "Whatever you say, Blaine."

"Speaking of my wonderful over-confidence," Blaine added with a smirk, his eyes lingering on the conveniently displayed sight of Kurt's legs. "I've been meaning to inform you that you have been wearing pants that are far too tight for your own good. My mind's kinda blown."

Cheeks burning, Kurt hurried down from the ladder and turned his backside away from Blaine and his somehow annoyingly flattering stare. Subtly was clearly not in his nature. "Er… sorry?" Kurt stammered.

Blaine rolled his eyes. "Hello Mr. I-Can't-Take-A-Compliment. Need I be more bold? You're kind of hot. Just saying."

Kurt was sure his cheeks were redder than ever now. "I… w-what?"

As if trying to make some sort of big decision, Blaine stared at Kurt for a moment, eyes distant and thoughtful. Finally, he turned his head a bit, nodding in the direction of the doors. "Come on, Pretty Boy," he said.

"Where?" Kurt blinked unsurely, clutching the remaining books in his arms more closely to his chest.

"French class?"

Kurt rolled his eyes at the thickly sarcastic tone of Blaine's voice. "Blaine," he stated flatly.

With a smirk, Blaine reached out and pulled the leftover books from Kurt's arms. "Come on," he said again, placing the stack on an empty table. "Don't you trust me?"

_No; I have no reason to trust you,_ Kurt thought, eyes on the novel at the top of the pile. He barely knew Blaine, not to mention the fact that he was clearly not the ideal citizen. Still… Kurt was mystified. He simply _had_ to know more… and, after all, Blaine had done nothing to convince Kurt of potential danger as of yet. He could take a risk, couldn't he? Hesitantly, Kurt's gaze drifted back to Blaine, and he took a small step forward.

Blaine, smiling, turned and began to lead Kurt out the doors and down the hall. "Interesting choice," Blaine remarked. "I kinda like your style, Pretty Boy."

"Can I know where it is you're taking me?" Kurt wondered with a questioning look.

"Nope. I like surprises."

Kurt let out an exasperated sigh. _Why_ it was that he had to become so intrigued by a smartass like Blaine was beyond him. "Well I don't," he protested. "I swear to god, Blaine, if you're leading me to some haunted attic or something-"

Laughing, Blaine reached out and took Kurt's hand. The action was too abrupt for Kurt to really form a verbal response, and too intimate for him to avoid looking genuinely surprised. Still, he let Blaine lead him hurriedly down the hallway, down a set of stairs and into a quiet room with a gorgeous piano at its center. "Wow," Kurt breathed, glancing around at the golden wallpaper and crystalline chandelier. The hidden aspects of Dalton Reform's interior were truly incredible. He never would have expected something so beautiful upon first sight of the school.

"See? Not so bad, right?" Blaine said, releasing Kurt's hand and turning to look at him with a small smile.

Kurt nodded slowly, making his way around the piano to trace his fingers over the dusty keys. The room was so abandoned and lonely, an underestimated treasure. He could see why Blaine liked to spend his time here when he wasn't in the library.

"Sing with me."

Kurt looked up in surprise. Had Blaine really just said that? "I…" he started unsurely. He had no clue what this meant, to be honest. Was Blaine just messing with him again? "What song?"

Blaine shrugged. "You pick," he said.

Well, had Kurt ever been one to deny a challenge when it came to vocals? He chewed his lip, considering. Truth be told, Blaine's "more than amazing" claim about singing had made him curious, and he really couldn't turn down the offer to hear the real thing. Tentatively, he set his fingers on the piano keys, and began to play the same melody that had been on repeat in his head all day.

_"You think I'm pretty, without any makeup on_

_You think I'm funny, when I tell the punch line wrong."_

With a soft smile, Blaine rested his elbows on the flat top of the piano, leaning forward a bit. _"I know you get me, so I let my walls come down… down."_

Kurt was taken completely off-guard by the all-too-authentic beauty of Blaine's voice. It was unique and captivating and full of emotion… Kurt was sure that under different circumstances, Blaine would have made a wonderful performer.

_"Before you met me, I was alright-"_

_ "But things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life."_

_ "Now every February, you'll be my Valentine… Valentine."_

They sang together, eyes locked, bodies moving steadily closer as if pulled by some unseen force. By the end of the song, Kurt found himself face-to-face with Blaine, their combined voices trailing off into oblivion. He blinked at the intensity of the hazel eyes that were now seemingly lost in his own, his fingertips at rest on the piano keys. Blaine was close enough to touch… so close that Kurt could feel his breath against his cheek… close enough to kiss-

With a soft gasp, Kurt stepped back, moving away from Blaine and whatever opportunity he may have been about to take advantage of. Kurt knew better than to let people make _those_ kinds of moves on him; he was- hopelessly- a huge romantic. That didn't leave a lot of leeway for arbitrary hookups in deserted reform school music rooms.

Luckily, Blaine seemed to get the message. He froze, eyes calm and searching. "You're… you're really good, Kurt," he said softly.

"So are you," Kurt answered, his eyes downcast and cheeks tinged pink. He never would have expected such sincerity from Blaine, and the understanding that seemed to be forming so quickly between them was enough to stun him a bit.

Blaine looked away, smiling coyly. "You'd better go… there was a kid asking the librarian about tutoring on our way out the door. Figured you didn't hear."

"Crap," Kurt blurted, eyes widening a little in surprise. Caught up in Blaine and the song, he hadn't even remembered the fact that he was supposed to be volunteering. He didn't really want to go back, either. Oh, if it weren't for that stupid gym class…

Deciding to take a risk and make a bold move, Kurt dug up a pen from within the depths of his bag. "Hand," he ordered coolly, reaching out his own for Blaine's.

With a slightly surprised look, Blaine offered Kurt his palm and allowed him to scribble a phone number onto his skin. "You know," Kurt said, capping his pen and turning to leave with a little smile. "You really aren't very tough."

"Mmm," Blaine hummed in agreement, eyes shining. "Neither are you, Pretty Boy."

Kurt rolled his eyes, wondering if Blaine Anderson- of all people- might just make this little Dalton Reform adventure into something truly worthwhile.


	4. Expectations

_**Author's Note:**__** Hello everyone! I am so excited to continue with this story… I certainly hope it's being enjoyed. Thank you again to those who have read and left reviews! Also, just to clear up any confusion- Karofsky is a Dalton Reform student in this fic. Azimio is a student at McKinley on the football team, and is considered the school's "lead bully" of sorts. This will be addressed more fully later on. Hope everyone likes this next chapter!**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 4: Expectations~

As Kurt began his trek back from the music room to the library, his mind raced with thoughts of Blaine. Singing with him had felt oddly surreal, and Kurt didn't quite know where their relationship was leading at this point. Were they… friends? And if friendship wasn't what they had, then what was it that kept drawing them closer?

Abruptly, Kurt's daydreaming was broken by the rough grasp of a large hand against his shoulder. Before he knew what was happening, the air whizzed by him and he felt his body crumple against the wall to his left. "Watch where you're walking, lady-boy."

Kurt sighed exasperatedly. Karofsky. Why was this loser so intent on picking on him? It was as if he had singled Kurt out, although the reason was very much unclear. "Only when you get a life," he retorted under his breath, picking himself up and glaring at the back of Karofsky's head in disgust.

With fire in his eyes, Karofsky turned and stared Kurt down. "I'm not kidding," he stated solemnly. "Watch. Out."

Kurt tried to maintain his indifference; it was the best defense he could come up with under the circumstances. He rolled his eyes. "I'll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine, alright?"

Turning away again, Karofsky continued his journey down the hall. "We'll see about that," he answered ominously.

Frozen in place, Kurt watched until Karofsky had disappeared around the corner. He couldn't let himself be afraid… bullies could practically smell weakness. This would have to be a matter of keeping his unconcerned façade in play at all times. But then, Kurt had never had much trouble putting up walls to keep himself guarded.

"Neanderthal," Kurt grumbled quietly into the silence, and turned on his heel to head back to the library.

x.x.x

Kurt found Lacey just outside the library, taping a surprisingly colorful poster to the wall. "Oh! There you are! I was wondering if you'd gotten lost," she said. "Jeez… can you believe they have _dances_ here? I wonder what that's like."

Kurt's gaze trailed over the poster, an ad for Dalton Reform's annual school dance. He smiled a little at the irony. "I can't imagine…"

Lacey grinned back, and then looked to Kurt, her eyes searching. "Anyway, are you okay? You look like you've just had a big adventure of some sort."

"Oh, do I?" Kurt blushed faintly, his thoughts reverting to Blaine and those moments they had just shared in the music room.

"A bit."

Kurt chewed his lip. It was one thing to let his experiences with Blaine weave fantasies in his head, but to share them out loud was a different story. For now, at least, Kurt was content to keep those thoughts to himself. "So, a dance, huh?" he asked in an attempt to change the subject.

With a nod, Lacey turned her gaze back to the poster. "Yeah," she said. "I might volunteer to help out. Apparently, most of the guys invite dates from other schools, so it's a pretty big event."

"I bet it gets kind of crazy," Kurt mused with a smile. If normal high school dances had a tendency to get out of control, he could only imagine what happened at places like Dalton Reform.

"A bunch of juvenile delinquents gathered in a dark room with blaring music? Ooh yes, I would think so."

Kurt chuckled softly. He wondered if Lacey had ever actually been to a school dance before. As a homeschooled student, maybe she had just gotten these ideas from movies. "Want to volunteer with me?" she asked suddenly, turning to Kurt with hopeful eyes. "It would be fun."

Truthfully, Kurt was a little afraid to say yes. He didn't want to throw himself into an intense situation with the wrong crowd, but then, Lacey looked so excited. Maybe this was the closest experience she would ever have to attending a real school event. He couldn't let her go friendless. "Alright," Kurt answered finally with a nod. "It sounds like it could be… entertaining."

Lacey's face brightened instantly. "Great!" she exclaimed. "It's Thursday night at eight, in the gym… I'll let the volunteer director know that you're interested."

Kurt nodded again. He hadn't planned on coming back to Dalton until Friday morning; McKinley had the day off, and he was supposed to spend the extra free time tutoring. Volunteering at the dance would mean another long drive after school, another night of neglecting his home life and having to deal with people like Karofsky. Oddly enough, though, the thought that consumed him the most wasn't really a negative, and that fact alone was enough to worry him a little.

_I'll get to see Blaine again,_ he realized, and gulped.

x.x.x

Thursday night, Kurt arrived at the dance shortly after its opening. He had spent a long time beforehand selecting an outfit, despite the fact that he didn't have a date and wasn't really coming to show off. Still, he felt satisfied with the final result- black skinny jeans, a fitted maroon shirt, and the suspenders that he had been dying to wear for weeks- and found himself walking confidently through the lobby and straight into the gym.

Instantly, he was bombarded with the sound of a thudding bass, with the flashes of strobe lights and the sight of huge groups of people dancing in clusters. His breath caught in his throat; he was quite the outsider here, after all. Maybe coming tonight had not been the best decision.

Relief flooded through Kurt as he at last caught sight of Lacey. She smiled and waved to him from across the room, her white dress illuminated under the rainbow of colored lights. After a little display of skillful pushing and weaving, she managed to make her way through the dancing students to stand before Kurt. "Hey!" she shouted over the blaring music. "So, we're just supposed to keep an eye out for trouble, and let the teachers know if we see anything suspicious. They said that we can dance and stuff, since we're technically undercover. Also, we've got to keep watch on the food and drinks in case they run out… That's about it. Easy enough, right?"

Kurt nodded, and smiled, because Lacey's good mood was simply too infectious not to catch. "Well, let's dance, then!" he replied, and took her hand, leading her onto the dance floor.

Lacey laughed as they jumped around, dancing to some cheesy Top 40 hit that had been playing on the radio for weeks. Kurt was glad to see her so happy; she was clearly making the best of the whole volunteering situation, despite the fact that it wasn't really supposed to be fun. He admired her for that.

After a moment, though, Lacey's grin faded, and her eyes locked on something across the room. "Hey, do you know that guy…?" she asked, and nodded in the direction that she had been staring.

Kurt turned, and his heart skipped a beat as he caught sight of Karofsky, glaring from across the room. Oh, no. "No… yes… sort of," Kurt stammered. He sighed nervously and started for the exit.

"What's wrong?" Lacey asked, following uncertainly.

"Nothing." Kurt shook his head firmly. He was _not_ going to ruin Lacey's good time by panicking her. "He's just bad news."

"Oh… okay." She frowned, stopping as they neared the doors. "Well, let me know if you have any trouble, okay? I'm going to go check on the food table."

Kurt nodded, and then stopped in his tracks and watched her disappear behind a crowd of dancing students. Feeling quite alone now that she had left, he was too afraid to go back onto the dance floor and too stubborn to go outside. He hesitated in a darkened corner, watching a group of boys and girls mingling and laughing.

Suddenly, Kurt felt something land on his shoulder. "Having fun?"

He jumped in surprise before he could come to terms with the fact that it was only Blaine, standing close behind him and all-too-casually resting his chin atop Kurt's shoulder. "Blaine!" he cried out exasperatedly. "What…? I guess? Hi?"

"Want some punch? I'm about ninety-nine percent sure that there's good stuff in it."

Kurt rolled his eyes. Of course someone would have spiked the punch already. "No, thanks," he answered, cringing internally at the memory of a very shocked Miss Pillsbury and a certain unlucky pair of shoes. "It's never good when I drink." Hoping to drop the conversation at that, Kurt turned and adjusted one of the tacky decorations that had been hung up nearby.

Blaine, however, was apparently not giving in that easily, and was also quite intent on staying close-by. He stuck his head over Kurt's shoulder again and watched him fiddle with the red and blue streamers. "I beg to differ," Blaine protested. "I happen to believe that you would make a very fun drunk."

In spite of himself, Kurt chuckled. "It's really not pretty," he answered, and then frowned as the uncomfortable sensation that someone was watching them arose out of nowhere. He glanced around nervously.

Blaine, seemingly unaware of Kurt's restlessness, dropped his chin back onto the other boy's shoulder and put on an exaggerated pout. "Aw, okay," he sighed. "No punch, then. How about a dance?"

Kurt turned his head, a little taken aback. Had a guy really just asked him to _dance_? Suddenly, Kurt was very much aware of how close they were, their faces just inches apart. Blaine's eyes caught the light, sparkling like stars. "Really?" Kurt asked, voice softening.

Blaine smiled and took a step back towards the dance floor, his expression alive with mischief. "If you can keep up, Pretty Boy."

Rolling his eyes, Kurt followed Blaine into the midst of the crowd and tapped into his inner confident ferocity. The fast beat was pulsing through him, and he knew better than to ignore it. Kurt was a natural dancer, all sass and hips and legs… it was mostly just a matter of not losing his nerve in front of people. "Do I give you the impression that I can't dance?" Kurt asked boldly, pressing himself closer to Blaine.

Blaine smiled a bit as they moved together. "Not quite… but most guys don't really live up to my expectations, if you know what I mean."

"Expectations?"

Nodding, Blaine looked around thoughtfully and then back to Kurt. "Yeah. In the case of someone like you, for instance, I would expect a reality of innocence posing as something incredibly sexy." He paused, smirking a little. "Which, in dancing, is usually sexy in itself."

Kurt was pretty sure that Blaine had either just insulted him or called him hot. Or both. Whatever. Two could play at that game. Kurt wrapped an arm around Blaine's neck, pulling him even closer. It was scary, in a way… and yet, Kurt was sort of enjoying stepping out of his comfort zone. After all, it was just an act, right? "Does _this_ live up to your expectations?" he answered.

In response, Blaine smiled, looking very much amused and impressed at the same time. "You're not like anyone else I've met before," he said. "It's kind of a turn-on. Plus, you know, those pants." Blaine winked playfully, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Kurt rolled his eyes. Blaine was kind of a loser. But a cute loser, at least, with a lot of mystery about him. And, if Kurt's instincts were correct, Blaine wasn't really the person that he had made himself up to be. Underneath it all, maybe he was just putting on a big show, for whatever reason. Kurt opened his mouth to reply.

It was then, however, that he once again caught a glimpse of Karofsky.

And, this time, he looked truly furious.


	5. Our Pasts, Our Confessions

_**Author's Note:**__** Hey! So, I've been EXTREMELY busy lately… I'm trying to get updates in whenever possible, but they do take some time, so I apologize for the long wait. This next chapter has a ton of canon dialogue, and some new plot twists that I hope people will enjoy. Also, thank you all SO MUCH for the reviews. They make me so wonderfully, extraordinarily happy! :) **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. Also, I do not own certain dialogue used in this chapter. **_

~Chapter 5: Our Pasts, Our Confessions~

Kurt was already backing away from Blaine, his wide eyes locked on Karofsky. "I'll be r-right back," he stammered. "Bathroom."

Without even pausing to check on Blaine's response, Kurt hurried away, pushing through the packed crowds and heading for the door at the far end of the gym. He was pretty sure that it led to a hallway and- with any luck- a place to hide.

Kurt knew that coming to this dance had been a bad idea. Not only was he risking a harsh insult or two, but also a painful beating, based on the impression he had been getting from this Karofsky guy. Truth be told, Kurt had to admit that dancing with Blaine had really been pushing his luck… maybe he deserved whatever was about to happen for being so naïve.

Finally, Kurt slipped out the door. The hall was bright and cool compared to the stuffy darkness of the gym, and graciously empty. Kurt had been feeling a little claustrophobic. He let out a sigh and paused for a moment, trying to calm down. Everything would be okay. He could take care of himself, couldn't he?

Heading for the water fountain at the end of the hall, however, Kurt started violently at the sound of a door slamming behind him. He hesitated, and then turned to glance over his shoulder.

_Crap._

Kurt jerked his gaze back in the direction of the hall in front of him and picked up his pace a little. He could feel eyes boring into him from behind.

"Girls' bathroom's the other way, loser."

Kurt bit his lip. He could just keep walking. He could leave Karofsky to throw insults at his back like stones, and pretend that they didn't leave bruises. He could just keep on being a victim.

_No._

Suddenly, Kurt couldn't take it anymore. He whirled around to face Karofsky, and stormed ahead to clear the space between the two of them. "What is your problem?" he demanded exasperatedly.

"Excuse me?"

Kurt stared up at him, and let the anger he had kept bottled up inside for so long- anger at the bullies of McKinley… at society… at this boy who somehow kept finding ways to ruin his week- pour out of his mouth. He didn't know quite what had sparked this flame inside of him, but, abruptly, it had turned to wildfire. "What are you so scared of?" he retorted.

Karofsky jerked his head in the direction of the nearby bathroom door. Until now, Kurt hadn't even noticed it was there. "Besides you hanging around the men's room trying to peek at my junk?"

Sick. That's what Karofsky was… sick and confused and angry.

Well, now Kurt was angry, too. "Oh, yeah, every straight guy's nightmare, that all of us gays are secretly out to molest and convert you! Well guess what, ham hock? You're _not_ my type."

"That right?"

"Yeah, I don't dig on chubby boys who sweat too much and are going to be bald by the time they're thirty."

It was then that Kurt realized he had hit a limit. He watched as Karofsky tensed, as he leaned forward with a clenched fist. "Do not push me, Hummel," he answered through gritted teeth.

"You going to hit me?" Kurt stared up at him. Karofsky was just like the rest of them. Just a scared little kid inside. "Do it."

"Don't push me!"

Kurt knew that he _was_ pushing it. But he couldn't back down now. If he got hurt because of his persistence, _fine_. Karofsky needed to hear what he had to say. "Hit me, 'cause it's not going to change who I am," Kurt declared. He was shaking all over, although whether it was due to defiance or fear, he didn't know. "You can't punch the gay out of me anymore than I can punch the ignoramus out of you!"

"I said get out of my face!" Karofsky ordered.

"You are nothing but a scared little boy who can't handle how extraordinarily ordinary you are!"

Everything moved far too quickly after that. Kurt's back was pressed against the cold metal of the lockers, and Karofsky was on him. But he wasn't throwing punches at Kurt, he was throwing _himself_, and his face was suddenly too close-

And his lips were pressing into Kurt's and-

Kurt shoved away, shock taking over instantaneously, and lifted a trembling hand to his lips. They felt swollen and wet and very, very wrong. What the hell had just happened to him? What had he done?

As if also stunned, Karofsky stared at Kurt for a long moment with wide, frightened eyes. Then, suddenly, his face morphed into something strange, something lost between anger and regret, and he slammed his fist against a locker. Kurt jumped at the noise, and then stood frozen, watching as the other boy walked away… gone with his stolen first kiss.

Finally alone, Kurt crumpled to the ground and burst into tears.

x.x.x

"Kurt?"

He felt trapped inside his own head, unable to even respond to the soft, concerned voice of the boy who had finally come to help him.

"Oh, god, Kurt, what happened?"

Suddenly, Kurt felt a pair of steadying hands rest against his shoulders. He looked up, his own gaze hesitantly coming to meet the worried, hazel eyes now staring back at him.

_Blaine._

Kurt burst into another heavy sob, watching Blaine's face blur into nothing as his eyes flooded over with tears. He barely even registered it when the other boy slipped his arms around Kurt, pulling him carefully to his feet and leading him out the lobby doors. Kurt coughed into the chilly nighttime air and rubbed at his eyes, falling back onto a bench as Blaine lowered him down into a sitting position.

"What happened, Kurt?"

Shivering, Kurt tried to make sense of it all. He had been so angry… he had yelled at Karofsky… he had expected to be punched, maybe hurt…

But then-

"H-he…" Kurt's whole body quaked. He wiped at his eyes again. "He… k-kissed m-me."

Blaine's brow furrowed instantly. "What?" he asked in confusion. "What do you mean? Who kissed you?"

"…Karofsky."

At first, Blaine didn't seem to understand. He stared at Kurt, frowning until, at last, realization dawned on his face, and he jumped up. Kurt looked up at him and blinked unsurely. "You mean Karofsky _kissed_ you? Without your permission?"

Kurt scoffed. The sound seemed strange coming from his tear-choked throat. "Well I wasn't exactly hoping and praying for it to happen while I was telling him off for being so prejudiced, so, no, he didn't have my permission."

Blaine bit his lip, his eyes frustrated and staring off into the distance. "I can't believe this," he said, and started pacing the area in front of the bench. "All this time… he's just been lashing out at gay people because he's freaking _locked up in the closet._"

Kurt stared in surprise. Since when had Blaine been so concerned about his well-being? Since when had he even called Kurt by his real _name?_ And Kurt was sure that he had never seen the boy looking so worried before… or so _annoyed_, he realized, watching as Blaine's hands curled into fists at his sides. "Blaine, calm down," he said, trying his best to keep his voice steady. "It'll be fine. I don't want you messing with him, okay? Revenge is never a good idea."

"But, Kurt…" Blaine hesitated, and then turned to meet his eyes. "He deserves it. He doesn't know how it feels to take all of this…"

Kurt sighed. He could see where Blaine was coming from. As someone who had probably also dealt with an insult or two from Karofsky, it only made sense that he should be upset over the hypocrisy of the whole situation. Still, it wouldn't do any good for Blaine to go and get himself into trouble. "I know," Kurt replied. "But it won't help anyone if you get hurt. Please, just sit down. Talk to me for a minute."

Tentatively, Blaine complied. He took his place on the bench beside Kurt and their eyes locked. It was then that Kurt knew he could trust Blaine. There was something… something _different _about him, and it was nice, oddly enough. "I take this sort of thing from people every day at school," Kurt explained calmly. He shrugged. "I guess I just kind of snapped tonight. I was asking for trouble."

Blaine paused, a thoughtful look on his face. "That was the first time a guy ever kissed you, though, wasn't it?"

Kurt's throat tightened instantly. He didn't want to think about that. "I…" Swallowing hard, Kurt could feel the tears begin to well up in his eyes again. "Yeah, it was," he admitted softly.

For a moment, Blaine was utterly silent. Kurt wondered when he was going to turn back into the boy he had known, the one with all the witty comebacks and overconfident attitude. Instead, Blaine reached out and squeezed Kurt's hand comfortingly.

Kurt nearly gasped aloud in surprise. He turned to Blaine, his eyes uncertain.

Blaine just smiled a little. "I… haven't told you what I did to wind up at this school, have I?" he asked.

Hesitantly, Kurt shook his head. He wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to hear this… after all, what if the wrong that Blaine had done was something _really_ bad? What if he turned out to be dangerous? What would Kurt do then?

Blaine sighed and looked down at the ground. "I've been there, too," he began. "Dealing with the bullying, I mean. But, for me, the worst of it was at home. My dad's really, really strongly opinionated, and he's not..." Blaine bit his lip. "He's homophobic."

Kurt inhaled sharply. His heart ached for Blaine; he knew how it felt to be left out and shoved around… but when it came to his own home life, Kurt had always been offered a shoulder to cry on. Burt Hummel wasn't perfect, but he tried harder than anyone Kurt had ever met, and that was more than enough. He couldn't imagine being rejected by his own father, much less _hurt_.

"He used to tell me that I was a terrible person. Worthless." Blaine blinked, his eyes still distant, lost in thought. "And if he got really annoyed, he would hit me."

_You can't punch the gay out of me anymore than I can punch the ignoramus out of you._ Kurt's own words echoed in his mind. He gave Blaine's hand a sympathetic little squeeze, and- on an impulse- laced their fingers together. If Blaine was anything at all like Kurt, then he would understand the reassurance in having a hand to hold.

Blaine took a shaky breath. "Anyway," he continued. "At my old school there was a Sadie Hawkins dance, and I had just come out. So, I asked a friend of mine- the only other gay guy in the school- and… and my dad found out about it just as I was about to leave the house. He was so _angry _with me… called me all of these terrible names, gave me a black eye…" Blaine sighed dejectedly. "And… I just… I lost it. We were at the top of the stairs, and when he went to hit me again, I pushed him. I never meant to hurt him; really… it was mainly in self-defense. But he fell all the way down to the first floor, and it took months for him to recover from the injuries completely. As soon as he woke up in the hospital, he demanded that my mom send me here, so that I could be 'properly disciplined' and so that he would never have to see me again. My mom's really shy… I think Dad scares her, too, to be honest. Most of the time she just takes on extra hours at the office to avoid coming home."

Kurt's eyes were flooded with tears now. He was shocked at how much he felt for Blaine in that moment… how much pain it caused him just to hear about what this boy had been through. He didn't even know what to say.

Finally, Blaine looked up, his eyes meeting Kurt's. They were so full of emotion; Kurt could barely breathe for looking at them. "He could have _died_, Kurt," Blaine said, almost too calmly. His expression, however, contradicted the remorse which his voice did such a good job of hiding. "And it would have been completely my fault. I could have killed my own father."

Kurt swallowed dryly and looked down, trying to clear his head. He felt as though all of Blaine's feelings were coursing through his own veins. What would he have done, were he ever in the same position? Would he have defended himself, as well? "I don't think what you did was wrong," Kurt whispered, glancing up at Blaine through his eyelashes. "Saving yourself doesn't make you a bad person."

Seeming surprised, Blaine stared at Kurt for a moment. "You really think so?" he asked.

Kurt nodded. "You're not worthless, Blaine," he replied. "I think you're really a good person inside, actually. You don't deserve to be treated the way your father treated you."

Blaine bit his lip. "I've been a jerk to you," he stated.

Kurt just looked at him. He would be lying if he said that he had not been offended by Blaine at times, and yet, he felt such a connection with him, and such a strong belief in the kindness of his true self. Kurt was going to figure out what was under this thick skin of Blaine's… no matter how much of an effort it might take. "You've been a friend to me, too," Kurt answered softly.

"You wouldn't trust me, though."

"I do, actually," Kurt said, and squeezed Blaine's hand again. Maybe it was just the vulnerability that Blaine was showing right now, but- for whatever reason- Kurt knew that he had really begun to care about him. Just talking like this, fingers intertwined… it meant a lot.

Blaine met Kurt's eyes, and both boys were silent for a long time. And then, carefully, Blaine leaned in, closer and closer, moving ever so slowly, as if waiting for Kurt to move away at any second. Kurt didn't, though… something in him _wanted _this. He wanted Blaine. And, in spite of everything that had happened that night, this seemed like as good a moment as any to establish that for real.

Kurt's second first kiss that night was soft and sweet and lingering… all that Kurt had dreamed of for years. It was nothing that he would have expected from the Blaine he had met a few days earlier… that Blaine had been intimidating and bold and mysterious.

This was something else entirely.

This was Blaine, exposed, defenseless, and genuine.

This was the kiss that Kurt had been waiting for, and so he kissed Blaine back with all of his heart.


	6. The Theatre on Hill Street

_**Author's Note:**__** Oh my goodness… I'm terrible. My inspiration level has been nonexistent recently, which basically means painfully boring writing or none at all. I hope you can forgive me for the long wait? **_

_**Anyway, I've FINALLY got this nice long chapter ready for you all… right in time to celebrate the return of Glee! Hope everyone enjoyed the first episode as much as I did? I was rather embarrassingly fangirly. But seriously, OUR BOYS ARE BACK AT LAST! We get to see them EVERY week now! My little Klainer heart can't handle it. ;) **_

_**As always, reviews would be very much appreciated. A billion times thank you to those of you who have left comments already! This next chapter focuses a little more on Kurt and Blaine, their pasts, and things to come. I'm also trying to weave in Blaine's POV now (without making it arbitrary) so hopefully it works. **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. Song credits in this chapter go to Jodi Benson: "Part of Your World." **_

~Chapter 6: The Theatre on Hill Street~

It all felt like a dream. Kurt was almost positive that the dance had never really happened, and yet, here he was, basking in the memory of Blaine's kiss and cringing at the thought of Karofsky's. All of a sudden, everything had changed.

The Friday morning drive to Dalton Reform had given Kurt's stomach a chance to tie itself in knots. He had tried not to think too hard about all that had happened, but his nerves were already taking hold. His lack of experience surely was not about to help him handle the situation, and he wasn't really sure what Blaine would do next. Would he be the same guy he'd been last night? Or would he just go back to being Rockstar Boy, like nothing had ever happened?

Kurt was walking to the doors, lost in thought, when something caught his eye. He turned, and there was Blaine, standing a few yards away, looking confidently rebellious beside an honest-to-goodness _motorcycle._ Kurt rolled his eyes and started to walk over. He should have guessed.

"Morning, Pretty Boy." Blaine smirked, his eyes betraying nothing. Ah, so that's how things were going to be, then.

Kurt smiled wryly. It took everything in his power to remain nonchalant; inside, his whole being felt ablaze with anxiety, questions, and an odd sense of longing. "Same to you," he answered, glancing down to the motorcycle. "Yours?"

Blaine sighed regretfully. "Sadly, no," he said. "My friend bought it a few months ago. He offered to let me take it out today." He smiled, eyes sparkling mischievously as he reached for the black helmet on the seat and offered it to Kurt. "So, are you coming?"

Instantly, Kurt's eyebrows shot up. "You have school," he pointed-out. "And I have my tutoring job."

"So?"

Kurt gave him a look. Now that he had become more aware of Blaine's past, it was difficult to comprehend why he kept up the badboy façade when no one else was around. Like it or not, the truth was out there in the open now, free for the taking. The two of them had danced, shared important secrets, and kissed, all in the course of one night. Kurt, for one, was not about to give all of that up so easily.

He met Blaine's eyes, trying his best to look sincere. "You don't need to pretend like this in front of me, you know," he said.

Blaine's eyes softened for a second before he laughed. "Oh, I'm serious," he clarified. "I'm taking this opportunity while it's still around. I'd hate to go alone, though…"

"Blaine! We can't. Besides, there is no way that you're going to get me on that deathtrap."

With a smirk, Blaine stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Kurt met his hopeful gaze and swallowed hard. He wasn't one to be persuaded easily, and yet…

_Damn those eyes._ This might be difficult.

"No," Kurt declared firmly, as Blaine offered the helmet again. "I'm not about to let you get into trouble, anyway."

Blaine just shrugged. "I'm going whether or not you decide to join me," he answered, turning around and moving to sit astride the motorcycle. He glanced over his shoulder to throw Kurt a teasing grin. "You can hold onto me as tight as you want, you know, if you're scared."

Involuntarily, Kurt's gaze moved to trace over Blaine's body, lingering along the curves of his waist and the muscles in his arms. This was definitely _not_ fair.

Grumbling under his breath, Kurt crossed his arms over his chest and stared Blaine down. "If you kill me out there, I will _murder_ you."

"Sounds logical to me. You've got yourself a deal, Pretty Boy."

Kurt made a face at the ironic tone of Blaine's voice and eyed the helmet skeptically. "This is seriously going to mess up my hair," he protested.

Blaine snorted out a laugh. "I will refrain from making any gay jokes if you actually wear it."

Ugh. _Why_ was it that Kurt bothered to put up with this guy? He was still a class-A jerk… when he wasn't being incredibly kind. And then there was that stupid _nickname_…

Kurt sighed and pulled the helmet over his head. He didn't really like it, but the fact that Blaine didn't have one of his own made him feel even worse. Apparently, he would just have to trust that the boy could handle a motorcycle well enough not to need safety gear. "I'm going to hate you for this forever," Kurt grumbled.

Blaine chuckled, turning to look over his shoulder again as Kurt straddled the seat behind him. "No you won't," he answered self-assuredly, and smiled. "Tell you what, Pretty Boy. We can go anywhere you want. Your pick."

Kurt hesitated, biting his lip and searching the mystifying, hazel eyes that stared back at him. He could only hope that, sooner or later, Blaine would become easier to read. "Look," he started reasonably. "I'll do this, but only if you promise me that it's safe and we won't die or something. And, also, I like being called 'pretty' as much as the next guy, but I _do_ have a name, you know, and I'd appreciate it if you used it every now and then."

Looking rather amused, Blaine paused for a moment. "Okay," he agreed with a nod. "I promise I won't let anything happen, Kurt. Just consider me your chauffer for the day."

In spite of himself, Kurt smiled. It was nice to be listened to sometimes. "Okay," he echoed. "Let's go."

Blaine turned and the bike roared to life abruptly. In surprise, Kurt jumped and leaned forward, instinctively wrapping his arms in a loose grip around Blaine's waist for support. He knew that they had technically already broken a barrier as far as touch and closeness should be concerned, but it also felt like caution was a good idea. Kurt certainly didn't want to rush things, even if that meant taking a few steps back.

"Where to, sir?" Blaine asked in a mock-businesslike voice.

Kurt couldn't help but play back. "To the stars," he quipped automatically, before mentally kicking himself for making a _Titanic_ reference. Grilled Cheesus only knew what Blaine would say to that.

Sure enough, Blaine was quick to shoot him an astonished glance. "Are you trying to _seduce me_, Kurt?" he inquired, almost too pleasantly.

Kurt rolled his eyes, smiling through the blush that had started to spread across his cheeks. "Is it working?" he teased back.

Blaine just grinned in return and looked away. "Hang on," he said, and suddenly they were flying through the parking lot and into the street.

Kurt let out a panicky squeak at the sudden burst of speed, the way the ground seemed to be visibly yanked out from underneath them as they moved. By the time they had reached the first stop sign, Kurt found his arms locked in a death grip around Blaine's middle.

"You okay?" Blaine wondered with a chuckle, glancing partway over his shoulder to see Kurt huddled closely against him.

"No, Blaine, I am _not _okay. We're going to go too fast, hit an eighteen-wheeler and _die._ And then I'll be buried with helmet-hair."

Laughing, Blaine took off again. Kurt let out another shrill noise of some sort and buried his face into Blaine's shoulder. At least this way he could avoid watching the world zip past… not to mention the fact that the t-shirt fabric he had his nose pressed into was extremely soft and smelled _incredible_.

"I think I could get used to this," Blaine commented as Kurt nuzzled the slightest bit closer.

"Don't push it," Kurt retorted, in spite of the smile tugging at his lips and the fact that he now had his cheek rested all-too-comfortably against Blaine's back. He didn't really know why he felt so affectionate all of a sudden; after all, Blaine was still a mystery guy with an unpredictable attitude. Plus, skipping out on their respective duties at Dalton in favor of a motorcycle ride wasn't exactly an honorable plan. Maybe Blaine really was a bad influence.

As memories of the night before flooded Kurt's mind, he clamped his eyes shut firmly. Blaine had a _lot_ more to his story than a reform school transcript. He was an extraordinarily talented singer with a gentle and sensitive personality and a difficult past. Kurt had to remember that. He had to remember why it was Blaine with whom he had shared that first real kiss.

"Hey, Blaine?"

"Yeah?"

Kurt chewed his lip hesitantly. Was he really ready to let his guard down like this in front of a guy he had only met a week ago? In front of _anyone?_ This was the sort of secret that, if revealed, would surely either make or break any relationship. And there was no predicting how Blaine would react. Kurt would just have to trust his gut instinct. "Do you know how to get to Hill Street? It's across town, near Lima?"

Blaine paused for a moment, thinking, and then nodded. "I think I know where it is, yeah," he replied. "Why do you want to go there?""

"I want to show you something," Kurt explained. "I'll tell you more when we get there."

"Alright." Blaine nodded again. "Sounds good."

After a while of weaving through streets and speeding around corners, Kurt settled slightly and was surprised to find himself enjoying the feel of wind hitting his face and adrenaline pulsing in his veins. The steady anchor that was Blaine's waist wrapped in his arms helped, as well.

"Here," Kurt said when they reached the small building tucked along the side of the road. Blaine parked the motorcycle along the curb and followed Kurt's gaze to the place he had just indicated. It wasn't the type of building that anyone would notice unless they were looking for it; the old, wooden structure seemed to be hiding itself behind the trees and slightly overgrown lawn. Upon closer inspection, a worn sign above the door could be found, the words _Hill Street Theatre_ engraved in swirling letters.

Blaine looked at Kurt, head tilted in confusion as they stood from the bike. Ignoring him, Kurt pulled the helmet from his head and sighed, attempting to reset the style of his hair with his fingers. It felt like a bit of a useless attempt.

"Where are we?" Blaine asked finally.

Kurt paused, dropping his hands slowly back to his sides. He didn't know how to explain; _showing _seemed like a much better option, even if it was a bit awkward. At least Blaine looked more intrigued than bored.

"Come with me."

Kurt walked to the door, reached into his bag, and produced a set of keys. One of them seemed oddly out of place, a skeleton key with an ornately carved bow. It slid easily into the lock and opened the door with a squeak. Blaine followed Kurt inside, taking in the smell of dust and the dim sunlight streaming through the windows. The interior housed about a dozen wooden benches, all lined up to face the modest stage at the opposite end. Everything was silent, aside from the floorboards that creaked as Kurt strode across the room.

"I used to come here every weekend with my mom," he explained, running his fingertips along the heavy, wine-red stage curtains affectionately. "She liked to help out with community theatre projects. Musicals were her specialty." He turned back to Blaine, smiling distantly. "I learned almost everything I know from her."

Blaine couldn't quite understand where Kurt was going with this story. The theatre looked like it hadn't been used in ages, and the way he spoke seemed far too wistful not to hold a deeper explanation. It seemed wrong to speak, however; Blaine could feel the silence muffling every sound. He felt separated, held away from his surroundings as though he were on the opposite side of a movie screen. Clearly, the place in which he now stood was very special.

Kurt bit his lip and turned to indicate a large, framed photograph on the wall. "That's her," he stated softly.

Blaine moved closer to get a better look. The woman in the photo looked shockingly like Kurt, with wise, blue eyes staring out behind long lashes and smooth skin flushed faintly pink in all the right places. Deep-brown hair fell in long waves down her back and over a delicate-looking green shirt. Blaine stared for a long moment, his eyes lingering on the simple, silver chain holding a ring around her neck, and then landing on the words below the photo. He swallowed hard.

_In loving memory of Elizabeth Rosanne Hummel._

"She died when I was eight."

"I'm sorry."

Kurt looked up as Blaine approached and sat down beside him on the edge of the stage. His eyes were sincere and sympathetic. "This place helps you remember her," Blaine stated. It wasn't a question. Kurt nodded anyway.

"She was really beautiful," Blaine added gently. He tilted his head, eyes searching. "You look like her."

With a sad smile, Kurt dropped his gaze. "Thank you," he said simply. "I miss her. This place… it's the best thing I have left, really. The owners gave me a key and basically let me take over the property once things settled down. My mom was the only one keeping it up and running, though, so it's perpetually empty nowadays."

Blaine nodded slowly, and Kurt blinked down at the floor. He hadn't expected this to be so hard, and already, he felt at a loss for words. He could recall a million little details about his mother, and yet could not bring himself to speak any of them aloud. A single tear fell from his eye and dropped to the floor.

In an instant, Blaine had Kurt's fingers intertwined within his own. Kurt smiled softly at the familiar gesture, at the fact that both he and Blaine seemed to find comfort in simple touch and silent reassurance.

"Did you ever perform here?" Blaine asked eventually, breaking the silence with an easy change of subject. It seemed all too natural for him to move on without judgment or prying questions.

Kurt blinked, rather surprised. "I… I did, once," he answered, and laughed quietly. "It was just one song, though. I was a pretty shy kid. It's a shock I even got over my stage fright, to be honest."

The corners of Blaine's lips quirked up a little. "Can I hear it?"

Shaking his head rapidly, Kurt blushed. "No, it's silly," he said. "I mean, when you're seven and three-quarters it's cute. As a junior in high school, on the other hand…"

Blaine's smile widened a bit. "I promise not to judge," he replied, giving Kurt a big-eyed, hopeful look.

Kurt sighed exasperatedly. It was getting to be a problem, this inability of his to say no to that face. "Oh, alright, alright," he answered, standing and walking over to the piano on the side of the stage. He traced his fingers over the keys; they were incredibly dusty. The whole place really could have used a good cleaning a long time ago. "But you'd better not laugh."

"I won't make a sound."

Kurt smiled to himself and settled at the piano bench. He could still feel his mother's hand, steady and encouraging against his shoulder. It was like he was a little kid again, staring out into what had seemed to be a very large and critical audience. And his mother's words were in his ear… _Don't be scared, baby. You're so much more talented than you realize._

In a moment, Kurt's fingers were on the piano keys, and the room was alive with music. His voice rang out strong and clear, just the same as it had been years ago, and yet so much more.

"_Look at this stuff  
>Isn't it neat?<br>Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?  
>Wouldn't you think I'm the girl<br>The girl who has everything?  
>Look at this trove<br>Treasures untold  
>How many wonders can one cavern hold?<br>Looking around here you think  
>Sure, she's got everything."<em>

As Kurt lost himself in the song, Blaine couldn't help but to stare. He was amazed; Kurt's beauty was delicate and angelic, yet fierce, unlike anything he'd ever seen. And his _voice_… that was simply beyond words.

"_I wanna be where the people are  
>I wanna see, wanna see them dancin'<br>Walking around on those - what do you call 'em?  
>Oh - feet!<br>Flippin' your fins, you don't get too far  
>Legs are required for jumping, dancing<br>Strolling along down a - what's that word again?  
>Street<br>Up where they walk, up where they run  
>Up where they stay all day in the sun<br>Wanderin' free - wish I could be  
>Part of that world."<em>

Blaine smiled, listening through to the end of Kurt's song. It was really something incredible to witness… the control he had over his voice, the ease with which he soared into high notes. As Kurt trailed off on the last note, he blinked, opening his eyes and blushing at the way Blaine was looking at him.

"I said not to laugh!"

Blaine's smile widened. "Am I laughing?" he replied innocently.

Kurt pouted slightly, pushing away from the piano and coming to sit beside Blaine again. He supposed he was just being overly self-conscious… still, this wasn't the sort of thing he shared with just anyone. He hoped Blaine was aware of that.

"She would have been proud to see you now, Kurt."

In surprise, Kurt turned to meet Blaine's eyes, which were entirely honest. He could feel himself tearing up again. "Really?"

Blaine smiled. "Definitely."

Kurt blinked down at the floor. He didn't know how to feel. How could someone he barely knew already understand him so well? What was it about Blaine?

"You're so brave," Blaine said suddenly. Kurt turned to him in question. "You trust yourself, even if what you are isn't what everyone else wants to see."

Smiling softly, Kurt thought for a moment. "I'm just lucky, I guess," he replied. "My dad's always tried really hard to be supportive. And I have a few decent friends. It helps."

"Wish I could say the same." The look in Blaine's eyes was painfully desolate. Kurt wondered how lonely he really was, trapped in a school full of people who didn't really know him and cast off by the people who should have.

"You should transfer out of Dalton," Kurt suggested after a moment. "You and I both know you don't belong there. You don't deserve that sort of reputation."

Blaine let out a short, dry laugh. "My dad would never go for that. I need a parent to sign the paperwork, and even if I could convince my mom into it, Dad would find out and send me back."

"He's just trying to punish you, Blaine. You've got to tell him it's been long enough. Scary as it is, nothing's ever going to change unless you have a little courage, right? Show him that he can't control you." Kurt gave Blaine's hand a little squeeze.

Blaine knew better than to think unrealistically about what he was being told now; he knew his father could hurt him. He had done so in the past, and he wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Still, Kurt's encouragement was inspiring. Maybe he was right… maybe it was finally time to be a man.

With a careful nod, Blaine met Kurt's eyes. They were shockingly blue-gray, terrified and strong all at once. Kurt stared back, and he wanted to kiss Blaine, to let him know that everything would be alright, that he didn't have to pretend all the time, that someday someone was going to accept him fully and completely. He looked so afraid.

Kurt settled for pressing his fingertips to Blaine's cheek. It was like a little haven here, just the two of them. Blaine leaned into the touch and let out a breath. "Tonight," he declared softly. "I'll talk to him tonight."


	7. Shadows and Bruises

**_Author's Note:_****_ Back again! This story is just so much fun to write. Feel free to review… I'm sending virtual hugs right now to all readers. :)_**

**_This chapter brings up an important turning point… and quite a bit of Blaingst. Hope you enjoy!_**

**_Disclaimer:_****_ I do NOT own the show Glee. _**

~Chapter 7: Shadows and Bruises~

The rain pounded against Kurt's bedroom window as he watched from the edge of his bed. Beside him, a class textbook lay open and forgotten. Lima hadn't seen a storm like this in weeks; now it felt as though the sky was releasing all of its built-up emotion in buckets and squalls. The sky was like midnight.

Kurt jumped as a clap of thunder rang out in unison with the noisy vibrations of his cell phone on the bedside table. He stared at the unfamiliar number on the caller ID. Strange… who would be calling? He picked up the phone unsurely and answered. "Hello?"

Muffled silence.

"Um… hello? Is anyone there?"

Another roll of thunder preceded the quiet reply. "Kurt."

Kurt's brow furrowed in concern. He knew that voice, but it wasn't quite right. The voice that he was hearing now sounded… helpless. "Blaine?" he asked, feeling his chest tighten with worry at the lack of response. After a moment of silence, he drew his other hand up to clutch the phone. "Blaine, what's wrong?"

There was another barely audible noise on the other end of the line. Kurt bit his lip; he didn't know what he would do if Blaine hung up now. "I… I'm sorry for dragging you into this, Kurt, I really am," Blaine choked out.

He didn't sound like the Blaine that Kurt knew. He sounded utterly lost, like he needed help. "Blaine. Please. Where are you?" Kurt could hear the desperation creeping into his voice. _Don't panic,_ he told himself. Freaking out wouldn't do any good.

"I'm… I… Kurt, I f-feel terrible about this…"

"Honey, breathe. Where are you?" Kurt couldn't bring himself to worry about crossing boundaries with pet names; he was too busy trying to keep Blaine calm. Worst of all, the pieces were starting to fall into place in his mind… and they didn't look good.

_ I'll talk to him tonight._

"I didn't have any other place to go… And I don't know where you live, so I couldn't come there, and so I just…"

Kurt inhaled sharply, and Blaine's words trailed off. In an instant, Kurt was on his feet and had grabbed his keys from the desk at the side of the room. "I'll come and get you. I'm getting in the car right now," Kurt assured him, already hurrying down the stairs.

"Kurt, I broke into your theatre."

Kurt stopped dead in his tracks for a second as images of a cold, wet boy huddled in the darkness of his personal refuge flooded his thoughts. The electricity had been turned off in the theatre months ago; Kurt could only imagine how lonely and frightening the place would be in the midst of a storm like this one. He picked up his feet again. "I'm on my way."

"I'm really sorry, Kurt." Blaine sounded hopelessly remorseful.

Kurt shook his head automatically and searched the shelves beside the front door. There was a battery-operated lamp, a first-aid kit… Kurt swallowed hard and grabbed them both. He wasn't sure what sort of situation he was about to walk into. "Don't apologize," Kurt replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "Just hang in there, okay? I'll be around in a few minutes."

Blaine didn't answer, and it took Kurt a moment to realize that the cell phone connection had been lost. He took a deep breath and put his own phone into his pocket before grabbing a raincoat. Clutching the bundle of items close to his chest, Kurt opened the door and hurried out into the darkness.

Everything was cold and sopping wet; autumn was truly sinking its teeth into Ohio with a razor-sharp bite. By the time Kurt had clambered into his car and closed the door, he was already shivering. _Poor Blaine,_ he thought. The theatre must have been freezing... And how would Blaine have gotten there? Walked?

Driving through the storm wasn't easy. Still, Kurt was determined to get to the theatre as quickly as possible, and managed to arrive in a fairly short amount of time. He opened the door slowly, the travel-lamp lighting his path, and stepped into the room.

The first thing that caught his eye was the broken window beside his mother's picture. Almost all of the glass had been moved out of the way, creating a whole big enough for a person to crawl through carefully. Then he heard a small noise, and his gaze found what he had come for.

"Oh, Blaine…" It was exactly what Kurt had feared. Blaine stared up at him from where he sat, curled with his knees to his chest on one of the benches. In the dim lamplight, it was hard to see the difference between the shadows and bruises splayed across Blaine's face, neck, and arms… but there was no denying that he was hurt. The light glinted off a drop of blood making a trail from the cut near the outer corner of Blaine's left eyebrow. It fell slowly down his cheek, just another crimson tear.

Blaine shook his head, lips parted in anticipation of the words that would not come to him. He had never seen a person look quite so much like an angel. And yet, here was Kurt, who had come to him when he had no one else, in the middle of a storm, in total darkness…

Kurt knelt in front of Blaine, already in full rescuer mode, and began doctoring his injuries with the contents of the first-aid kit. He was all business, his eyes betraying nothing. Blaine didn't know how to react.

Suddenly, tears leaked from Kurt's eyes, and Blaine stared at him in concern. His hands trembled over the purpling marks on Blaine's skin. "Your father did this to you?" Kurt choked out in disbelief, his voice small and repentant as it echoed through the empty room.

Blaine didn't want to answer. He bit his lip and looked down, feeling lost and ashamed and hurt. The last thing he deserved was for someone to come and save him, anyway. He should have been back at Dalton, being scolded for lashing out like the nonconforming screw up that he really was.

Kurt moved his hands to either side of Blaine's face. "Please, Blaine," he said gently, his gaze searching. It felt like Blaine's eyes were drowning him; they were so sad. But Kurt couldn't look away. "Talk to me. Tell me what happened."

Blaine bit down hard on his lip. He couldn't bring Kurt into this. Kurt was a good guy, and he surely had his own problems to deal with. Still… he had come out here to help. It was clear that he wanted Blaine to trust him. "I went to see my dad," Blaine admitted softly.

Nodding slowly, Kurt moved to interlock his fingers with Blaine's freezing, trembling ones. Their eyes never faltered from one another's.

"I figured I would just go in with the transfer papers ready, and tell him that if he signed them, he would never have to hear from me again." Blaine swallowed dryly. "Anyway… I walked in… the door was open… it was stupid… but I just waltzed in like it was no big deal, and he was there." Something flashed in Blaine's eyes. Fear. Regret. "…with someone else."

Blaine looked away then, dropping his gaze to the floor. Kurt brushed his thumb across Blaine's cheek, frowning at the tear-soaked wetness there. "He was with a woman," Blaine continued. "Someone I'd never seen before. And they were…" He paused, eyes distant. "He didn't even listen long enough to hear why I'd come. He said that if he found out that I let my mom know he's cheating on her, he would…"

Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand. He wanted to wrap him in his arms, to tell him that things would be okay… but he was afraid it would hurt him. The cruel injustice of it all was maddening, really.

Blaine's eyes squeezed shut, tears leaking over his lashes. "He's going to be looking for me now, Kurt," he choked out. The terror in his voice was heartbreaking. "He wants to make sure I don't get to Mom first. He'll get all the teachers at Dalton in on it, if he has to." Blaine met Kurt's eyes, looking intense and powerless both at once. "I can't go back."

He couldn't take it anymore; Kurt pulled Blaine to him, arms tight and secure. "I won't let him hurt you," Kurt declared softly. "I'll bring you home with me. He'll never think to look there. He doesn't even know who I am."

Blaine let out a shaky breath. Kurt's body was so warm against his… he hadn't even realized how freezing he was until he felt it. "I c-couldn't ask you to-"

"You're not asking," Kurt interjected. He pulled away to meet Blaine's eyes sternly. "I'm telling you. You're coming with me." With that, Kurt stood up, his hand outstretched. "Let me help you," he added in a whisper. It was just a request.

Blaine couldn't fight it anymore. He needed someone… anyone… He reached out and took the hand he'd been offered. And Kurt wrapped his finger's around Blaine's, protective and trustworthy.

They were going to need each other.


	8. The Fine Line Between Shelters and Cages

_**Author's Note:**__** Hello hello! **_

_**Here's some more Klaine (kisses) and a little Furt (awkwardness). Enjoy! **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 8: The Fine Line Between Shelters and Cages~

"Won't your dad wonder what's going on?"

Kurt led Blaine up the front steps and fumbled for his house key. They were both shivering; it would certainly feel wonderful to put on some dry clothes at this point. Distractedly, Kurt shook his head. "No… he and my stepmom went to a party or something. They won't be home for a while. Besides, you should really get some rest before we try to figure all this out."

Blaine smiled a bit, following Kurt in through the door. The warmth inside was incredible. "You're hiding me away for the night, then?" he teased.

Kurt rolled his eyes. Only Blaine would still be making wisecracks after a day like this one. "I'm giving you a chance to _not_ be interrogated so soon after a traumatic experience," he answered pointedly. "If you think you're up for it, though…"

"…Maybe I'll pass."

"I thought so."

As they made their way to Kurt's room, Blaine couldn't help but to take in everything. He couldn't get over how it delightfully normal and lived-in the house looked. Home for him, after all, had always been a bit of a disaster zone. This was a much more welcoming environment than he had come across in a long while, it seemed.

Walking with Blaine, Kurt realized that he couldn't remember the last time he had had a boy in his room, aside from the occasional visit from Finn. That alone was setting him on edge… not to mention the fact that said boy was to be there in secret, and that he was a boy for whom Kurt had an obnoxious amount of strong and confusing feelings. Kurt knew he would just have to find some way to focus on helping Blaine. Awkwardness or tension was the last thing he needed after all the difficulties he had been through tonight.

"I like your room," Blaine said, smiling softly as his eyes danced around. Kurt's room was very organized, very chic… very _Kurt._ Clearly, every detail of the furnishing and decorating had been carefully thought out, in the end producing something both highly fashionable and down-to-earth in one.

Suddenly shy, Kurt dropped his gaze to the carpet. "Thanks," he replied. He paused before glancing up and walking to his closet. "I can lend you some clothes, if you want. They might not fit quite right, but at least you won't catch pneumonia."

Blaine smiled appreciatively. "That'd be great."

Kurt offered Blaine a pair of sweatpants and an old t-shirt before directing him to the bathroom. Finally alone, Kurt changed into his favorite warm pajamas and collapsed onto his bed with a sigh. The abandoned textbook lay open beside him from his attempt to study before Blaine's call. Already, that felt like a million years ago. Kurt reached over and closed the book.

This was turning out to be a very long day.

It took a few moments for Kurt to gather his thoughts. The reality of spending the night alone with Blaine was a little too much for him to handle. Of course, he knew that he would have to be sensitive to the fact that Blaine had been through a lot tonight already. And he would have to figure out a way to eventually explain the situation to Burt and Carole. Great.

Then again, Kurt really didn't regret getting involved. He was glad to be the one Blaine trusted, the one who could help. The one who got to see the real Blaine.

"I can't thank you enough for all of this."

Kurt bolted upright, surprised to find that Blaine had already returned. He strolled in through the doorway, bringing with him the fresh scent of shampoo, and stood in front of Kurt's bed. He looked better, cleaner, the dried blood washed away and the color returned to his face. The borrowed white shirt was a bit tight, the grey sweatpants a little too long… nevertheless, Kurt had to drag his eyes away in favor of staring.

"…Kurt?"

_Oh, yeah._ "It's nothing, really," he answered, gaze fixed on his comforter. "It's the least I could do."

Kurt sensed movement beside him and looked up. Blaine sat down beside him, the mattress dipping just slightly under his weight. Kurt's breath caught as their eyes met. "I disagree," Blaine said. "I haven't done anything for you to earn this sort of treatment in exchange. It's much more than I deserve."

"You've done wonderful things for me," Kurt protested quickly. "You helped me get through my first few days tutoring at Dalton, you saved me from Karofsky, you got me through that awful-"

Kiss.

Blaine couldn't take it anymore; Kurt was too perfect. He knew he shouldn't have been worthy of a boy like this, the sort of boy who would willingly rescue him and care for him and still manage to think it was the "least he could do." Kurt had to know what it meant to him.

With Blaine's lips suddenly against his own, Kurt could feel his resolve beginning to crumble. He melted into the touch, gasping slightly as a longing he hadn't known he possessed blossomed inside of him. Kissing back, Kurt found one hand rising to cup Blaine's cheek, pulling him closer, while the fingers of the other clutched tightly at the duvet beneath them.

Blaine didn't even hesitate. Kurt's reaction was more than he had expected, and he deepened the kiss, leaning over Kurt as he lowered himself to lie back on the mattress.

Kurt felt drunk off of Blaine's touch, the taste of him, every noise and smell and sight that filled his senses. How could he have gone from expecting to spend all of high school hopelessly single, to making out with a guy in his bedroom in just one week?

It was the sound of someone walking down the hall that instantly startled both boys to full attention, Blaine leaping to his feet before Kurt could even register what was going on.

"Hey, Kurt, Rachel said to tell you-" Finn appeared in the open doorway, stopping mid-sentence. His eyes widened a bit as he took in the sight before him. "Um… hi…?"

Kurt sat up quickly, cheeks burning. He'd forgotten that Finn was only off visiting Rachel for a few hours that night. Of course he would be home before their parents. "Oh…" Kurt blinked, hopelessly trying to smooth his tousled hair. "Um, hey, Finn. This is… uh…" Helplessly, Kurt turned to Blaine. How was he supposed to explain? After all, he had never been one to bring home many new friends, and Finn knew all the ones he had at McKinley.

"Blaine Anderson." Introducing himself, Blaine offered Finn a hand to shake. In response, Finn's eyes darted from the bruises on Blaine's skin, to the scar over his eyebrow, to the flushed look on Kurt's face. It was clearly not the sort of situation to which he had expected to come home. He looked to Kurt questioningly. Blaine dropped his hand.

"Finn, it's not… it's not what you think," Kurt rushed out, fighting to keep his composure. "Blaine and I met at Dalton this week, and he needed a place to stay. His dad kicked him out." Well, that was the short version of the truth, anyway.

Finn's eyes narrowed skeptically. He raised an eyebrow. "You mean he's a _student_ there? At the reform school?_"_ he asked, his mind clearly buzzing with assumptions as he snuck another quick glance at Blaine. "Does Burt know?"

Kurt shook his head slowly. "Not yet, but he's going to be out late. I'm sure it would be a lot less stressful for everyone if we all just talked about this in the morning?"

Finn seemed to understand then, his eyes softening slightly as he took in the pleading tone of Kurt's voice. "Okay," he reasoned hesitantly. "I guess… I guess that makes sense…"

Kurt let out a breath. "Thanks, Finn," he said. "I know this seems strange… I swear, there is an explanation. Blaine's not just some arbitrary reform school kid, honestly."

"Right…" Finn glanced over both of them again, visibly trying to put the pieces together. After a moment, he seemed to decide that whatever was going on was out of his hands, and shrugged. "Well… just… don't get into trouble. Or whatever. I'll see you in the morning."

"'Night, Finn." Kurt watched his stepbrother turn to walk back down the hall, and waited a moment before getting up to close the door. Blaine blinked at him in silence.

With a sigh, Kurt settled back against the pillows at the head of his bed. That had been just a little _too_ close; obviously, things with Blaine were not about to be kept secret for very long. Kurt frowned and tucked his knees to his chest, wondering what exactly they were supposed to do next.

"You okay?" Blaine asked carefully, coming to sit beside Kurt and leaving a noticeable distance between them.

Kurt shrugged, and then nodded. He wasn't sure how to feel. "Yeah," he answered softly. "I'm fine."

Blaine's eyes searched his face. "I'm making things difficult for you, aren't I?"

"Since when do you care?" Kurt snapped back without thinking. He regretted it instantly.

Blaine blinked in surprise. Yes, he knew that his personality was multiple-sided, and he certainly hadn't made a very stable first impression with Kurt. He had been a jerk, a helpless reject, and a good friend- more or less- all over the course of a week. But how could he show Kurt his true self when even he had lost track of who that was?

"I'm sorry," Kurt started gently, his eyes sincere and apologetic. "That was harsh; I didn't mean to-"

Blaine shook his head. "It's alright." He paused, turning to face Kurt more fully and meeting his gaze. "You deserve to know me… the _real_ me. And you have to understand that I'm not that guy, Kurt… the one who doesn't care. I never wanted to be. I do care, honestly."

Searching Blaine's eyes, Kurt was suddenly taken aback by the desperation he found there. Blaine had been trapped- that much was obvious. Now, suddenly, all Kurt wanted to do was to set him free. "I know."

It was with this reassurance that time began to slowly fade into nothing, and exhaustion took over in its place. Inch by inch, the two boys found themselves drifting closer together and nearer to sleep, until Kurt's head had settled against Blaine's chest. Drifting from consciousness, their arms became securely bound around each other, as if to keep from falling apart.


	9. Nightmares

_**Author's Note:**__** Hello again. Sorry this took a while to update… I've been quite busy lately! Anyway, I hope you like this next chapter. Feel free to review, as always, and thank you a million times to those who have already. :) **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 9: Nightmares~

_The pounding bass rang in Blaine's ears with the drum of his heart. He was surrounded by darkness, a terrible, lonely, midnight that constricted around him like a coiled snake. Worst of all, he felt defenseless, detached from his body. Utterly vulnerable._

_ "Blaine?"_

I didn't mean it.

_"Blaine? God, Blaine, what happened? What are you doing in here?"_

Help him.

_"Honey, please." He could feel his mother's presence beside him, though the darkness in his room made it hard to make out the expression on her face. She raised her voice just high enough to let it be heard over the angry noise blasting from the stereo. "What did you do?"_

_ All Blaine could feel was his own body trembling. He couldn't speak; he couldn't think._

_ "Help him."_

_ Hands on his shoulders. Fearful, dark eyes meeting his own. "Help who? Please, Blaine, you're scaring me."_

_ It was as if every molecule of air had been stolen from his lungs. He gasped, chest heaving, collapsing…_

_ He deserved to drown like this._

_ "Blaine!"_

_ "Dad. Down the back staircase." Blaine wasn't sure where he had found the words. How had things gone so wrong so quickly? How could he have made so many mistakes in one night? "I'm sorry."_

_ "He fought with you again."_

_ "Yes."_

_ "Is he hurt?"_

_ Blaine couldn't answer. He doubled over again, lost, drowning, drowning…_

Help.

_"Shit. Blaine, why didn't you take care of him? How bad is it?"_

Help.

_ "Never mind." His mother stood up quickly, already heading for the door. Blaine sensed how torn she was, her voice betraying something between fear and concern, anger and sympathy. "I'll deal with it. Don't move. I'm sure he'll be alright. Just… just stay here."_

_ Help._

_ Help him._

_ "Please," Blaine choked into the nothingness. The panic coursing through him felt like ice in his veins. How much time had passed since his father had struck that last blow at the top of the staircase that sent Blaine over his breaking point? How long since he had lost control, watched his father falling, and then hidden from it all like a scared little boy?_

_Had he left him to die? Had he killed his own father?_

"_Please help me."_

Blaine.

"_I didn't mean to-"_

Blaine.

"_I-"_

"Blaine, wake up!"

Blaine's eyes flew open as he sprang back into consciousness. He gasped for breath, quickly becoming aware of the fact that he was in an unfamiliar place, drenched in a cold sweat, and shaking violently. Everything felt so strange.

"Blaine?"

In the darkness, Blaine turned and met Kurt's gaze. His eyes were wide, concerned, shining with the moonlight that streamed in through the bedroom window. _Just a dream,_ he thought, and then shuddered when he realized it hadn't been... not really.

"Are you alright?" Kurt asked softly, pressing refreshingly cool fingertips to Blaine's cheek.

Blaine hesitated. He'd had this flashback so many times before… and yet, waking up here, with someone else beside him to see what happened was a different experience entirely.

"Y-yeah, I'm f-fine," Blaine managed quietly, staring down to avoid Kurt's eyes. He had never told anyone what had taken place in those long, awful hours just after the incident with his father. And the dream… the reality of it had been a moment shared only between him and his mother. It was something he knew he would never forgive himself for, something he had always bottled up inside and dreaded.

"You're so pale," Kurt said. He bit his lip. "Do you have nightmares like this a lot?"

Shaking his head, Blaine hugged his arms to his chest and took a deep breath to steady himself. "I… only sometimes. They're just… memories."

Comprehension flashed in Kurt's eyes, and he moved to let Blaine lean into him. It felt good to be supported, to have someone else present to carry his burdens with him. Blaine hadn't realized how heavy they were until they were too much for him to hold onto alone.

"You don't have to tell me anything…" Kurt said. "But if it helps to talk about it, I won't judge you."

Blaine felt an ache inside of him gnawing at his heart. He had never known a person to be so caring and accepting; surely he didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of it. "I think about that night a lot," Blaine admitted. "The night I hurt my dad… it's always stuck with me. I'd like to shake it off and move on, but..."

Kurt nodded slowly, his cheek brushing the top of Blaine's head.

"I feel like such a coward."

"You're not, Blaine," Kurt replied. He sounded so sure… but then, he only knew half the story. "It was brave of you to stand up to him, even if it didn't turn out perfectly in the end. It's okay. Really."

Blaine scoffed under his breath. "I'd barely call what I did 'standing up to him.' I just freaked out and-"

"Please, Blaine… stop," Kurt interjected suddenly, his voice achingly sympathetic. "Please. You're blaming yourself for something you couldn't change. You don't have to feel like this."

The way those words touched Blaine's heart was beyond him entirely. No one had ever tried to reassure him about that night before. When all he had wanted was to know that it wasn't really his fault, everyone had just kept quiet. No one had been around to hold him when he got scared. No one had offered a shoulder to cry on when his regrets became too much to handle.

Blaine already knew that he could depend on Kurt. _Trust_ was not something that he found himself coming into contact with very often, and now there were a million emotions taking over, so many feelings Blaine didn't recognize. Kurt… Kurt was _everything_ he needed. And somehow, he actually seemed to want Blaine in return. How was it that he could already feel so much for this boy, when in fact they had only just met? "I think I'm falling in love with you."

Blaine had certainly not planned on saying _that._ And yet, there it was, out in the open. It also happened to be a statement that he couldn't help but to accept as true. Kurt meant the world to him, and, whether or not it made sense, he honestly did believe that the two of them shared something special.

Kurt inhaled sharply beside him. "Blaine…" he answered, voice wavering a little.

Love was a strong word- Kurt wondered if he dare venture into that sort of territory. He felt a lot for Blaine… _a lot,_ more than he had ever imagined he would. But did that mean they were ready for something like _this_?

"I just… I trust you," Blaine explained softly, intertwining his fingers with Kurt's and holding his gaze. "I feel like I've known you forever." He paused to bite his lip. "That sounds silly, I know."

"No," Kurt answered. He knew exactly how Blaine felt. The trouble was that he had put up far too many walls to let anyone in so quickly. Kurt knew what it felt like to be humiliated, to be hurt, to be rejected… and, consequentially, he had learned not to take the sort of risks that could cause such awful pain. Still, he didn't have the heart to push Blaine away, especially considering that he cared about him so much. "It makes sense. I… I'm really glad you're here. I mean, not because of what happened with your dad, but I'm glad you let me help you. And… I like spending time with you. A lot." Kurt smiled shyly, hoping his response made at least some sense to Blaine.

"I like spending time with you, too." Blaine smiled, leaning in just slightly to press his lips to Kurt's hairline. "We should keep doing that."

"I'd like that."

Blaine's breath caught as Kurt moved closer to nuzzle into his chest. It seemed they fit perfectly together- almost _too_ perfectly, Blaine thought. The fact that neither one of them had much experience with relationships made it all a little scary… yet, there was a connection between them, an almost magnetic force pulling them steadily closer. Things were changing, hopefully for the better.

Maybe it was time for some walls to come down.


	10. Turning Point

_**Author's Note:**__** Hi there. So, Blaine and Burt finally meet in this chapter! It's really fun writing Burt… he has always been one of my favorite characters, so I hope I do him justice.**_

_**If you read my posts on Tumblr, I know I mentioned including some ND characters, but this chapter seemed long enough already. They'll be around soon, though, so no worries. ;)**_

_**Enjoy! Reviews are loved.**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 10: Turning Point~

"Dad?"

Burt looked up just as Kurt padded sleepily into the kitchen. It was still relatively early in the morning, and Kurt's face looked drawn and pale, like maybe he hadn't slept much. Burt set down his mug of coffee and frowned in concern. "What's up, kid? You're up early for a Saturday."

Kurt shrugged. "I wanted to make sure I could talk to you in the morning, in case you had plans for the day." He bit his lip, pausing to sit beside his father. "There's something… something I should tell you…"

Burt looked rather taken aback, his expression a mixture of mild panic and suspicion. "Okay…" he answered uncertainly.

Staring down at the table to keep from losing his nerve, Kurt explained. "I made this… friend, sort of. He goes to the school I volunteer at- you know, Dalton?"

"Wait, isn't that the place where people send teenage criminals?"

"Blaine is _not_ a criminal, Dad! Well, okay, there's a reason he's there, but it's not-"

"Right." Kurt looked up hesitantly to see Burt giving him a doubtful stare. "So, this Blaine kid. What is it you wanted to tell me about him?"

Kurt dropped his gaze again, feeling instantly nervous. He hoped his father would be willing to keep an open mind- especially when Kurt had to confess that Blaine was asleep in his bed at the moment. With any luck, Burt would listen through the whole story, and help Kurt determine the right thing to do next. His father was a man with a good heart, after all; surely he wouldn't stand for the way Blaine's father had treated him. "He's in some trouble. His dad sent him to Dalton so he wouldn't have to see him anymore. Blaine decided that he wanted to transfer out because he really doesn't fit in. But when he went to his dad about it yesterday, he just… he hit him and kicked him out."

_"What?"_ Burt looked appalled. "What kind of father does that to his own son?"

Kurt swallowed hard. This was where things could potentially become awkward, and he knew he would have to explain very carefully. "Blaine's gay," he admitted softly. "His dad is… not so accepting."

Burt frowned angrily. Kurt noticed his fists tightening at his sides, his knuckles almost white against the pressure. "That's _it?_ He beats his kid and sends him to that school with a bunch of screw-ups just because he's gay?"

Kurt bit his lip and nodded slowly. "Pretty much, yeah," he replied. He paused, unsure of how much he should explain. The incident with the staircase was obviously significant, but it had all happened in a matter of self-defense. Kurt didn't want to put Blaine in a negative light if doing so wasn't necessary. "He's actually… um, Blaine's here now," he added in a rush. Burt's eyebrows shot upwards in surprise, but Kurt hurried on before he could question anything. "He couldn't go home, obviously, and his dad threatened him, so he's afraid to go back to school, and-"

"_Threatened?_ What do you mean?" Burt's expression was lost between worry, rage, and confusion, and he continued to stare at Kurt in shock. "Do I have to call the cops to take care of this guy?"

Kurt sighed wearily. He had known the police would have to get involved eventually, but he was also relatively certain that they would make Blaine uncomfortable. Telling strangers about your most painful secrets could never be easy, after all. "Probably," Kurt answered finally. "I let him stay here last night because he was so hurt and he had nowhere else to go… please don't be angry."

"I'm _not_, Kurt. Not about that, anyway." Burt glared at the wall distractedly. "I don't care who this guy is or who his son is. No parent has the right to do that to their kid."

Kurt's eyes stung and he blinked quickly to hold back the sudden urge to cry. He was so, so lucky. His father was caring and big-hearted and unprejudiced, willing to stand up for the rights of a boy he had never even met. Blaine probably couldn't even imagine growing up with a father like Burt, despite the fact that he clearly deserved one. It just wasn't fair.

"So, you said he's here, right?"

Kurt looked up to meet Burt's eyes and nodded slowly. He knew that his dad probably had more than a few suspicions; Kurt didn't usually keep secrets, and bringing home boys wasn't exactly a part of his routine, no matter what the reason. "You want to meet him?"

"Well, if we're acting as his safe-house for a while then, yeah, I do."

Kurt nodded again, standing from the table. He paused for a moment, debating, thinking over the truth about the connection he shared with Blaine. He didn't want to hold things back from his father, and he knew he could trust Burt to be accepting. Still, it wasn't like he and Blaine were a real couple… for the most part, their relationship was just a confusing rampage into unexplored territory. Perhaps it would be better not to get anyone else involved at this point. Kurt left the room without another word.

Upstairs, he found Blaine already awake and dressed in one of the outfits Kurt had set aside for him to borrow. He watched for a moment from the doorway as Blaine stood in front of his bookshelves, eyes scanning titles curiously. "You have_ so_ many magazines," he commented.

Kurt chuckled softly. He was glad, at least, that Blaine seemed to be feeling well enough to focus on ordinary things, not just the troubles he was facing. "Hey, there's a reason my fashion sense is so impeccable," Kurt retorted. "I take my research very seriously. Don't underestimate."

Blaine smirked. "Oh, trust me, I won't." He paused for a moment before dragging his eyes from the shelf and turning to face Kurt. "So… any plans for today?"

"I already talked to my dad," Kurt admitted, biting his lip. "He's waiting for you to come downstairs, actually. He wants to meet you."

"Oh." Blaine shifted his weight slightly, mirroring Kurt's nervousness. How much of the story had Kurt told his father? And what if he wasn't so fond of letting a reform school toss-out stay under his roof?

"He really wants to help, I think," Kurt assured him. "I mean, it's a lot to take in all at once, but he feels pretty strongly about the way your dad treats you. He'll get the police on your side… you know, if you're ready for that sort of thing."

Police. Of course they would have to get the law involved… Blaine clearly wasn't going to be able to stay hidden at Kurt's forever. Still, even the thought of calling out his own flesh and blood as a criminal made Blaine feel a little sick.

Kurt took a small step closer, tilting his head to meet Blaine's gaze. "Hey," he said softly. "It's going to be okay. There might be a lot of questions but at least in the end you'll be safe."

With a slow nod, Blaine hummed a noise of agreement. "I know," he sighed. "Was your dad upset that I spent the night here?"

Kurt shook his head. "No… he seemed more concerned with the fact that this was the only place where you _could_ spend the night. Really, don't be nervous. He'll like you."

Blaine bit his lip and nodded once again before following Kurt back to the kitchen. He felt oddly exposed- allowing one boy to see his true self was once thing, but it had been a long time since he had done so for anyone else. On the outside, Blaine was still the thick-skinned outcast that he had been at Dalton for the past few years. The sudden freedom to be anyone he wanted to be was strangely overwhelming.

"Er… Dad, this is Blaine," Kurt said as soon as they were all together in the kitchen.

"Burt," the man said shortly, stepping forward to shake his hand in greeting.

Blaine smiled tentatively, extending a hand and noting the millions of apparent differences between the two Hummel men. While Kurt's touches had always been feather-soft, his father's handshake was firm and masculine. Kurt's outfit looked like it had been pulled directly out of _Vogue,_ yet Blaine couldn't imagine that Burt had ever so much as opened one of his son's magazines. The man's eyes, however, revealed much more to Blaine than anything else. Instantly, he knew that Burt would accept him. It felt like a fist was clenched around Blaine's heart, stifling him with a bittersweet sort of jealousy whilst pummeling him with gratitude. He didn't know what to say, so he just nodded stiffly.

It was silent for a moment, all three staring at one another. Finally, Burt cleared his throat and moved back to sit at the table. "Alright, let's talk," he said, motioning for Kurt and Blaine to join him. "Kurt tells me you're going through a rough time."

Nodding again, Blaine bit his lip and sat down. He had been dreading a confrontation about his father for years; it had always seemed wisest to just keep quiet. Now, though… was there really a choice anymore? When Blaine couldn't even rely on Dalton Reform, of all places, taking action seemed inevitable. He had to let this be the turning point, while the opportunity was still available. "I… yes," Blaine replied carefully.

Burt gazed at him for a moment, eyes searching. "Look, I'm not going to give you the third degree or anything this early in the morning. Kurt says you two are friends and you have no place to go. I trust his judgment…" Burt paused, glancing briefly across the table to his son. "So you're welcome to stay here awhile if that's what's gotta happen for you to be safe."

Blaine couldn't help himself: he broke into a smile. "Thank you," he said, praying that his tone conveyed just how sincere he truly felt. "I really can't thank you enough-"

Burt waved him off and continued. "I do want to get the police involved, though. Based on what Kurt's told me, they should know what's going on. You think you can handle talking to them this afternoon?"

Kurt shuffled a little nervously beside him. Blaine swallowed thickly and nodded. He could do this. It was for the best, after all.

"Good," Burt said simply, and pulled his cell phone resolutely from his shirt pocket.

x.x.x

Blaine felt totally drained. While meeting Burt that morning had been a little nerve-wracking, spending the afternoon talking to the police had been much worse. He had answered all of their questions honestly, and had eventually been reassured that someone would look into the situation as soon as possible. Now, though, all Blaine had was a sour aftertaste in his mouth, left over from the terrible stories that he had just relayed. All of his personal turmoil, all his worries, his fears… everything was out in the open.

After things had finally settled down, he curled up on Kurt's couch, eyes closed, while a voice rambled distantly from the TV. It sounded like Burt had found a football game to watch, and Blaine listened as Kurt released a bored sigh every so often. He was pretty sure Kurt thought he was asleep; otherwise, he would undoubtedly have dragged him off to do something else.

"So, he's a good friend, this kid?" Burt asked suddenly, and Blaine felt Kurt stiffen beside him.

Blaine's breath caught. He hated to eavesdrop, and yet he was sure that the others thought he was sleeping. It would be awkward to just "wake up" out of the blue. And, if Blaine was being honest with himself… curiosity was getting the better of him.

Kurt was silent for a long moment, and Blaine wondered if maybe he had just nodded or shrugged in response. He almost peeked an eye open. "He's… more than just a friend, Dad," Kurt said finally, voice soft. "I really… really care about him."

Blaine could feel their eyes on him and fought to keep his face unresponsive. Inside, though, his heart skipped, mind racing. _Kurt cared about him._ Kurt cared about him enough to say it to his father.

It was strange how, in Kurt's home, sharing that sort of information didn't have to be a terrible thing.

Burt answered slowly, thoughtfully. "Well… good. I hope. He seems like an okay kid. As long as he treats you right and makes you happy." Silence. "But he's staying on the couch."

Kurt laughed softly as Blaine squelched a grin. Burt was so wonderfully _normal._

"I'm only worried that you'll be safe around him," Burt added after a moment. "What with his father and all…"

Blaine frowned slightly before remembering that he shouldn't. His father. Of course. Always his father.

It was silent for a moment. "It doesn't matter, though, does it?" Kurt asked quietly, running his fingers through Blaine's curls. Blaine swallowed hard. He knew _exactly_ what Kurt meant, and it scared him. "I'm already a part of this. There's no turning back now."


	11. The Things You Should Know

_**Author's Note:**__** Hello darlings! I got SO many wonderful reviews and other comments on the last chapter- cannot thank you all enough for giving me that sort of encouragement. I hope I can continue to impress. :)**_

_**ALSO THE MINI HIATUS IS ENDING. New Glee once a week again? Sounds good to me. :D**_

_**This next part is a little short and on the fluffier side, but it had to be included. Chapter 12 will probably be longer. Anyway, hope you like it! **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 11: The Things You Should Know~

Blaine's eyes flew open as the front door slammed and Finn clambered into the room. Kurt rolled his eyes, shooting Blaine an apologetic look. He was sure the poor guy could have used some extra sleep, even if it was only a few extra minutes on a relatively uncomfortable couch. Burt had moved along to the kitchen, and seemed to be searching the cupboards for something edible, based on the noises echoing into the room.

"Hey," Finn said with a slightly unsure smile. He looked between Kurt and Blaine for a moment. "So, did things go okay with the police and all that?"

Sighing, Kurt nodded. He had told Finn the whole story a short while after talking to Burt that morning. Though he did seem honestly concerned, Kurt got the feeling that Finn was a little wary of actually getting involved. He supposed he couldn't blame him.

"What are you doing home so early?" Kurt asked curiously. "I thought you were going to be playing video games all night with Sam and Puck."

Finn shook his head. "Nah, Puck bailed on us at the last minute so we decided to go grab a pizza instead. I just came home because I forgot my wallet." He paused for a moment, seemingly torn. "You, um… you two can come, if you want."

Well, that certainly hadn't been what Kurt was expecting to hear. It was still a kind offer on Finn's part, though. Kurt turned to Blaine uncertainly. Perhaps it would make him feel better to get out of the house for a while, to spend time with a friendly group of people. Then again, it might also make Blaine feel uncomfortable, and Kurt definitely didn't want to make him go through that.

Blaine blinked. "I, uh… I don't know-"

"Trust me, dude, it'll take your mind off of things," Finn interjected. He smiled. "They're all pretty cool people, and we've tracked down all the best places to get food around here… which actually comes down to just _one_ place, but still…"

Kurt chuckled, glancing up to Finn gratefully. His stepbrother could be a bit thickheaded at times, but whenever his inner good intentions shone through, Kurt couldn't help but feel proud.

After a moment, Blaine gave a slow nod. "Okay," he said, forcing a little smile. "Why not?"

Finn smiled again, looking relieved. "Cool," he replied. "I'll be back in a minute."

As soon as Finn had made his way out of the room, Kurt turned to face Blaine. "You don't have to do this if you don't really want to, you know," he pointed-out. "I'll stay here with you. We can make something to eat or order in…"

"It's fine," Blaine assured him. "I can't hide from the world forever. Besides, I'm curious to meet who you hang out with."

Kurt smiled softly. "Okay," he agreed. "Just… if you want to leave at any time, let me know, alright?"

Blaine nodded, just as Finn reappeared in the doorway, keys in hand.

x.x.x

Kurt parked his car next to Finn's outside of Breadstix. Despite all of Blaine's protests that he would be "perfectly fine," Kurt had determined that they should travel in separate cars. Waiting around for Finn to finish stuffing his face with pizza so that he could drive them home didn't seem nearly as efficient.

Kurt hugged his arms to his chest against the nighttime chill, walking side-by-side across the parking lot with Blaine. Finn led the way inside, quickly spotting the others and hurrying over to join them at their table. Kurt made a point of staying close to Blaine, determined not to let him feel alone.

"Hey Kurt," Tina said with a friendly smile, waving as he and Blaine approached the table.

Kurt grinned back, glad to see that no one seemed to mind him tagging along. "Hi," he replied. "Nice to see you."

"Friend of yours?" Mike asked casually, glancing up at Blaine.

Kurt nodded tentatively. He hated to call Blaine a "friend." There was so much more to what existed between them, but Kurt didn't exactly have a word for it yet. "Yeah," he answered, trying to keep his tone relaxed. "Mike, Tina, Sam… this is Blaine. I met him at the school I'm volunteering at to gain an extra credit."

Tina smiled. "That's cool," she said, moving over to make room for them on her side of the booth. They slid in beside her. "Nice to meet you, Blaine."

"Didn't you say you're working at a reform school?" Sam asked. "Like, teen criminals and stuff?"

Kurt felt Blaine tensing up beside him. He gave his hand a little squeeze under the table in reassurance. "It's really not as bad as it seems. Some of the students aren't the sort of people you would imagine them to be."

Blaine squeezed his hand back gratefully.

A waitress rounded the corner and stood before them, pen poised to take their order. After taking down a request for a large, half-sausage, half-veggie pizza, she walked away, leaving the conversation to wander into glee club territory and Rachel's proposed "overtime" practices. Kurt couldn't help but to notice how shy Blaine seemed, laughing at all the right places but never actually saying much of anything. He hoped it wasn't the commentary on reform schools getting to him.

By the time they had finished eating, however, Blaine appeared to be more at ease, tiptoeing into the boys' conversation about football. Kurt rolled his eyes pleasantly, noting the fact that Blaine sounded pretty well informed on the subject. So much for sticking to gay stereotypes.

Mike laughed enthusiastically at something Blaine had said. "Seriously, that's awesome," he replied. "How have we never seen you around here anywhere? Where do you go to school?"

Blaine bit his lip and stared down at the table, suddenly uncomfortable. "Oh," he said, voice softened. "I…um, I-"

"He's homeschooled," Kurt burst out suddenly, remembering Lacey and how similar her social anxieties seemed to Blaine's at this moment. He forced a smile. "But he's been trying to enroll at McKinley. Right?"

Blaine nodded stiffly in agreement. It wasn't _completely_ a lie, after all.

"Oh, cool," Mike answered. The sudden tension seemed to have thrown everyone off, though, and the conversation froze over into an awkward silence. Eventually, Sam and Finn started to discuss the new movie they both wanted to see, while Tina and Mike argued that buying a ticket would be a waste of money. Kurt sighed, disappointed that Blaine still seemed to be getting left out. Feeling like a loner certainly wasn't going to do anything to improve his already upset mental state.

Suddenly, Kurt felt a hand on his thigh, and jumped in surprise. Beside him, Blaine offered a little smirk and shrugged innocently. Kurt just rolled his eyes and kicked him under the table. Damn flirt.

"Ow," Blaine grumbled, to which the others all looked up at him curiously.

Kurt stifled a laugh, blushing faintly as their waitress came by to leave a check. Counting out enough money to cover the cost for Blaine and himself, Kurt pulled a few bills from his wallet and placed them on the table. "I guess we'd better go," he said, smiling distractedly and trying to keep from looking suspicious as he buttoned his coat. "It was nice seeing you all."

"Same to you," Tina said. "Good to meet you, Blaine."

"See you at school, Kurt," Mike added.

Moments later, Kurt and Blaine had made their way outside. Despite the knowledge that his friends meant well, Kurt felt much better now that they were alone. He bit his lip, hoping Blaine wasn't feeling too let down by the awkwardness of the dinner.

As he turned to meet Blaine's eyes, however, Kurt found their fingers intertwined and a smile on Blaine's face. "Thank you," Blaine said. "You're a much better… a much better friend than I deserve. You were protecting me, in there, you know? Making sure I wasn't going to be judged too harshly… That was really nice of you."

Kurt frowned thoughtfully. He appreciated Blaine's words, of course, but they felt so lowly. He wanted Blaine to _know_ that he was worthy of kindness and acceptance, and of being more than just a friend. And it was not out of pity. Blaine made Kurt laugh, he made him think and feel and trust. He made Kurt want to hold on and never let go.

Pulling Blaine around the corner to the side of the building hidden from view, Kurt took a breath and kissed him full on the mouth. It was dizzying, standing there with his cheeks tinged pink and his body pressed against another's, the world fading into nothingness around them. Blaine pulled his arms around Kurt's neck, drawing him closer and deepening the kiss with each movement. Kurt was taken aback by the raw _need_ he sensed in Blaine. He hadn't had anyone to care for him in a long time, not even a parent, not even a friend. Kurt could relate to some extent; he had been feeling lonely for a long time, as well. Yet now, here they were together, with Kurt falling head-over-heels. He had no idea how to handle it or how to talk about it. There were so many things he wanted to tell Blaine, so many things he didn't have the words to say…

He shivered as Blaine's lips grazed his jaw, every touch deliberate, sincere, but careful… Kurt forced himself to move away slightly, meeting Blaine's eyes. He took a breath. "Blaine- what are we?" Kurt bit his lip nervously. "This isn't just friendship anymore... I don't know if it ever was, actually."

Blaine blinked, eyes gleaming with admiration and longing. "You tell me," he answered softly. "I'll be anything you want me to be."

"But-" Kurt's head spun as Blaine leaned in and kissed his neck. "Oh- no, wait," he managed, pressing a hand to Blaine's chest and pushing him back purposefully. "Just let me say this."

Blaine nodded understandingly and waited for Kurt to speak.

"I feel like… like we're already… in a relationship," Kurt admitted carefully. "Like you're my boyfriend."

Blaine's lips quirked into a smile. "I'd _like_ to beyour boyfriend, Kurt."

"You… oh." Kurt blinked, cheeks flushed and pulse racing. How long had he waited for someone to say those words to him? He had certainly never expected them to be spoken by someone like the boy standing before him now.

Blaine tilted his head to the side, searching Kurt's eyes. "Would that be okay…?" he wondered unsurely.

"That would be _very_ okay," Kurt replied without a thought. He felt oddly warm inside despite the cold weather, and there was a smile on his face that he knew he couldn't smother if he tried… "Blaine, that would be more than okay."


	12. Encounters

_**Author's Note:**__** Hello everyone! Sorry this chapter took a while to post… it's on the longer side with lots of action, so I wanted to make it good. My one worry is that it might seem too condensed or crammed… let me know what you think?**_

_**This should be an entertaining chapter for those of you who have been wondering what really happened to "badboy" Blaine. There's also a little more detail on his life before Kurt, which I hope you like.**_

_**And yes, I did manage to fit that cliffhanger in at the end, because I'm a tease like that when it comes to suspense. ;) **_

_**Lastly: next week's episode. It sounds like it will be perfect, and I am having far too many feelings. I swear I will be forever thankful to Grilled Cheesus if this is handled correctly. But then, I'm feeling pretty confident that it will be. :) **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 12: Encounters~

"Kurt? Hey, bud, wake up."

Blinking one eye open, Kurt stared up at his father, and then at the digital clock on his nightstand. Seven in the morning. Ugh. Kurt grumbled sleepily and rolled over in bed, away from Burt, and almost fell asleep again in an instant.

"Kurt, the police just called. I thought you'd wanna know right away."

The police? Oh… Blaine… the police, right. Kurt lifted his head, blinking in an attempt to adjust his eyes to the sunlight streaming in through the window. "Did they get him?" he asked, voice thick with sleep.

Burt frowned. "No… they didn't. He's gone missing."

Kurt felt himself abruptly thrown back into full consciousness. He pushed himself to sit upright. _Missing?_ "What do you mean?"

"Gone," Burt stated simply. "The cops went to his house last night… no car, no lights on inside… nothing. They said it looked like he just packed up and abandoned the place. Went on vacation. It looked exactly the same when they went back about an hour ago."

Kurt's mind whirred. Blaine's father needed to be locked up in a jail cell, not gallivanting around on some spontaneous getaway trip. "I don't understand."

Burt sighed. "They think he's lying low until he can find Blaine."

No. Nononono. This could _not_ be happening. The police were supposed to find Blaine's father before Blaine's father found him, before anyone found a chance to hurt Blaine. Didn't they have the means to search out just _one_ man in a little town like Lima? After all, Mr. Anderson was no Most Wanted mastermind criminal… he was just a person with a harsh temper, strong opinions, and a secret to hide from his wife. And a son who happened to know the truth behind that secret. A son that Mr. Anderson was not particularly fond of to begin with.

But if Blaine's father had suspected that the police would come after him, and if he was truly determined not to be found…

Kurt gulped audibly. It was a good thing that Mr. Anderson had no clue who he was. In Kurt's house, they were perfectly safe… weren't they?

x.x.x

Blaine sat on the couch, his knees curled to his chest and his gaze fixed blindly on the TV screen as he thought of two billion other things besides the movie playing in front of him.

He was so afraid.

Blaine hated fear. It was crippling, distracting, humiliating. He wanted to be strong, strong enough to at least not be a burden on Kurt and his family. And yet, all he could think to do was to keep hiding, maintaining the hopes that his father wouldn't find him, that his mother was safe, that Kurt would remain unknown to Richard Anderson for as long as humanly possible...

Hope was paralyzing, really, under these circumstances.

Blaine could do better than to hope. Turning to Kurt suddenly, he spoke up. "I want to go to Dalton today," he declared.

Kurt straightened in his seat beside Blaine. "What?" he asked in confusion. "_Why?_ I thought you said all the teachers would be on the lookout for you."

"I'll avoid the teachers… they won't even know I'm there. I just need to get some things from my room… some clothes, money. I'm tired of having to put you all through the trouble of taking care of me, and I really don't know how long this will last. I need to at least know that I have _something_ of my own. I don't want to be helpless."

Kurt blinked in surprise. "Oh…" he said softly. He'd had no idea that Blaine felt that way. "Blaine, it's really no trouble-"

"I just have to do this," he interjected solemnly. "I can't hide forever, can I? If I can get in and out of there without any trouble, at least I'll know that my father hasn't taken over my entire life."

Biting his lip, Kurt searched Blaine's eyes. He was determined. "I'm coming with you," Kurt stated.

Blaine started to protest. "No, Kurt, you can't. If they see you they might tell my dad what you look like and-"

"I can't hide forever, either, Blaine," Kurt pointed-out.

Blaine frowned. Leave it to his boyfriend to use his own argument against him.

_His boyfriend._ Well, that was one phrase Blaine certainly did not want to take for granted. The thought of it alone sent his heart soaring in an instant. It also just so happened to make him realize how much he _needed_ to keep Kurt safe. This was not going to be easy.

"Besides," Kurt added with a smug little grin. "I'm the one with the car."

x.x.x

"This is idiotic, Blaine."

"Hush. No one ever comes down this corridor, and it's the shortest way to get to my dorm room. We'll be out of here in two seconds."

"I don't like this, Blaine. I feel like-"

Both boys stopped in their tracks at the sound of a door opening nearby. Kurt swallowed hard before glancing over his shoulder to see a tall, heavyset man with a mustache drooping to match his frown lines. The man's eyes were stern, disapproving, making Kurt shrink back a little under his stare. Blaine cursed under his breath.

"Ah, Mr. Anderson, so nice of you to return to school," the man said, his gruff voice sharpened by irony. Kurt read the small nameplate pinned to his shirt: _Mr. Strudwick. _"Having a nice little vacation?"

"Fantastic, actually."

Kurt started at the strangely confident tone of Blaine's voice and turned to him with wide eyes. He looked… different. But familiar. It was as if Blaine suddenly stood a little taller, held his chin a little higher, glared with eyes a little less forgiving. It took a moment for Kurt to realize the truth behind the transformation: this was reform school Blaine. This was the Blaine whom Kurt had come to know initially, the Blaine that he would _still_ be were it not for the opportunity he'd been given to let down his guard. To be honest, Kurt had been almost sure he would never see that side of Blaine again.

"We've been told to keep a sharp eye out for you," Strudwick continued, taking a small step forward. "The headmaster is not especially pleased with the calls he's been getting from your father."

_"Blaine…"_ Kurt breathed nervously, inching a little closer to his boyfriend's side and tugging on his arm lightly. They couldn't stand here much longer. Things didn't look good, and Kurt could feel Strudwick's glaring eyes chewing over his every feature, committing his appearance to memory.

"Well, my father and I aren't exactly on speaking terms at the moment, sir," Blaine replied, already backing his way slowly down the hall. "Sorry I can't stay and chat." In an instant, he had grabbed for Kurt's wrist, turning to him with an order in his eyes: _run_. As they bolted down the hall together, Blaine tossed a glance over his shoulder at Strudwick. "Just running a few errands," he called with a defiant smirk. "I won't be back." Kurt got the feeling that Blaine had been waiting to speak to his teachers at Dalton like this for ages. And even if it wasn't doing them any good and had already sent Kurt's heart leaping into his throat, he knew that Blaine deserved the freedom. He would have wanted it, too.

Flying down a winding staircase and around a corner, Kurt nearly knocked into Blaine as his sprint suddenly came to a halt. Blaine stood before a door, fumbling with the handle. "Locked," he spat out in annoyance. "Great."

Kurt's eyes widened hugely. _"Blaine!"_

Blaine glanced frantically around the hall before turning to run back around the corner. Exasperated, Kurt let out a groan and took a fast step forward as if to start hurrying away again. Blaine, however, returned quickly, with what seemed to be an abandoned math worksheet in his hand. He folded it in half three times.

"What are you doing?" Kurt asked in confusion, just as Blaine slid the paper through the door's automated lock and ushered them both inside.

"Reform school," he answered simply, already gathering things from around the room. "Learning the art of lock-picking is practically a rite of passage around here."

Kurt just stared. He knew he really _should_ have been focused on helping to get them both out of Dalton as quickly as possible. Still, he couldn't drag his eyes away from the utter _emptiness_ of Blaine's room. The place in which he now stood, after all, had been Blaine's only home for years. Yet it held no signs of happiness or originality or sentimentality: no family photos on the walls or the desk, no random trinkets or displayed posters of favorite bands… just drawers full of clothes and a desk scattered with ordinary school supplies. Other items were neatly packed away, out of sight in storage bins and boxes, as if to hide anything even remotely personal. It was as though no one had ever lived here, and it pained Kurt's sinking heart to think that this had truly been a part of Blaine's everyday existence.

"Let's get out of here," Blaine said suddenly, breaking Kurt from his trance. He looked up to find Blaine standing in the doorway with a haphazardly packed bag under one arm. Following quickly, Kurt kept close on Blaine's heels as they ran their way back to the parking lot, thankfully without being seen this time.

Finally arriving at the car, Kurt threw himself into the driver's seat and breathed a huge sigh. "Blaine, what did we just _do_?" he groaned.

Blaine just climbed in beside him and shook his head. "I told you it was a bad idea for you to come. What if Strudwick and the headmaster pass on what you look like to my dad?"

Kurt bristled. "So now this is my fault?" he shot back. Things were messed up enough already; he didn't need his boyfriend to start pointing out his little moment of naivety.

Blaine frowned. "I didn't say that," he protested. He paused for a moment, and then sighed. "I just… I want you to be safe, Kurt. Dragging you into all of this in the first place was a big risk. The idea of letting anyone hurt you- especially _him_… I just can't-"

"Blaine." Kurt started the car and pulled out into the lot, heading for the exit onto the street. "You didn't drag me into anything. Now would you please just forget it? You got your stuff. Let's just pretend this never happened, okay?"

"Can we go to the mall?"

"Blaine!"

Blaine smiled a little. "I'm serious," he replied. "You said you wanted to forget about it, and I know for a fact that you love to shop. Unless you're too angry to pick out an outfit for me?"

Kurt huffed in annoyance. It was _so_ not fair for Blaine to know his weaknesses. "This doesn't mean I forgive you for blaming this on me," he replied indignantly, flicking on his turn signal in the direction of the nearest shopping mall. "It was your dumb idea in the first place."

"I know you're trying to keep up the argument, Kurt, but I'd just rather take your original suggestion and let it go," Blaine declared calmly.

Kurt bristled. How was it that Blaine could read him so well? It was as though he saw right through him, right down to his stubbornness and his inability to let others prove him wrong. Blaine even seemed to see that, underneath it all, Kurt really just wanted him to be safe, and hated the fact that it may have all just been changed for the worst. "I'm sorry," Kurt admitted softly. "I'm sorry for the way this happened. I'm sorry about how you had to live at Dalton. I'm just… Blaine, I'm sorry."

Blaine's eyes softened and a frown creased his face. "You don't have to apologize," he replied, reaching out to touch Kurt's cheek. "It's not your fault. You've made things so much better for me and I'm so thankful… please don't forget that."

Kurt sighed. Was staying angry with Blaine even possible?

x.x.x

Blaine opened the fitting room door, standing before Kurt in one of the outfits he had been instructed to try on. He wasn't used to wearing anything so precisely put-together or high in fashion, but he figured Kurt's expertise was not to be questioned. Besides, the dark jeans and fitted vest felt like an outfit he could pull off easily enough.

Kurt's lips quirked into a smile as his eyes unabashedly trailed up and down the length of Blaine's body. Blaine shifted his weight unsurely; it was hard to tell if Kurt was impressed or amused.

Finally, Kurt let out a thoughtful little "hmm" and stepped forward, pushing the sleeves of Blaine's white shirt to his elbows and adjusting the collar. "There," he said, looking satisfied. "That suits you much better."

Blaine stepped back into the fitting room, glancing into the full-length mirror in surprise. He had never thought too much about his own appearance; usually, it was just a matter of dressing the part. Quiet and conservative at home, intimidating and fearless at Dalton... but now who was he? Who was the real Blaine Anderson?

Kurt appeared behind Blaine in the mirror, his arms coming to wrap around his waist and his chin dropping to rest on Blaine's shoulder. "You're gorgeous," Kurt whispered simply, staring into their reflection.

Blaine turned his head, setting their faces just inches apart. He smiled. "Or you just really know what you're doing."

Chuckling softly, Kurt nodded. "Very true," he answered. "But that's not the only factor involved, you know."

Blaine swallowed, turning back to the mirror, back to the surreal image that had somehow become his reality. He had a boyfriend. He had freedom. He had a chance at becoming anything he wanted to be, and it was all because of Kurt.

"You're beautiful," Blaine told him softly, pressing his lips to the top of his boyfriend's head.

Kurt just sighed contentedly, squeezing his arms around Blaine's waist like a promise to never let go.

x.x.x

Walking through the mall's bustling halls with shopping bags in hand, Kurt and Blaine made their way to the food court near the entrance.

"I'm buying you coffee," Blaine declared with a little smirk.

Kurt shook his head, gaze lingering for a moment on a kiosk selling hats. "No, you're not," he replied unquestioningly. "You already bought me that scarf. I will not allow you spoil me."

Blaine burst out in a laugh. "Yeah," he began. "I'm sure you'd just…"

Blaine's words trailed off, his eyes focusing in on something not too far ahead of them. Kurt followed his gaze into what appeared to be nothing more than a mass of people. "What is it?" he asked, turning back to Blaine unsurely.

But Blaine just shook his head, his eyes distant and shocked. He'd seen something… something important, unsettling, something he couldn't drag his eyes away from.

Kurt felt his own skin pale in an instant as a sudden realization hit him like a slap in the face.

Blaine had noticed _someone_ in that crowd… and there were definitely people in Blaine's life that neither one of them wanted to see.


	13. Courage

_**Author's Note:**__** Well, this chapter is LONG overdue. I've been so busy lately… it's exhausting, really. I'd much rather curl up and write this than do work, but it's been pretty unavoidable. **_

_**Also, sorry about the cliffhanger, my darlings- couldn't help myself. ;) I think you'll be surprised with the results, though!**_

_**Enjoy. :) **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 13: Courage~

Just as Kurt was about to lose his composure completely, Blaine's expression softened and he hurried towards the group of people. Kurt just stood there in shock. Who could Blaine possibly have seen to make him react like _that_?

Suddenly, a petite woman pushed her way through the crowd. She stared up at Blaine in surprise, reaching a hand out to grasp his arm, saying something Kurt couldn't quite hear. Tentatively, he stepped closer.

"I know… I know," Blaine was saying. His eyes traveled over the crowd again. "You're alone, right? Dad's not here?"

"I haven't seen him in days."

Kurt blinked. This was Blaine's _mother._ She had to be. The woman standing with Blaine now was thin, timid-looking… still, the resemblance was there; her dark curls were unmistakably familiar.

Blaine let out a little sigh of relief. "We really need to talk," he said softly. "Do you have some time?"

She nodded, eyes sad, like she was certain that the conversation would not hold good news. Kurt wondered how much she already knew.

"I want you to meet someone," Blaine continued. He turned, looking to Kurt. The woman glanced up as well, silent curiosity registering on her face at the sight of them together. "Kurt, this is my mom. Mom… this is Kurt. My boyfriend."

Kurt was taken aback by the fearlessness in Blaine's declaration. Then again, Blaine had said that his relationship with his mother was _distant,_ not hateful.

Offering the best smile he could manage on the spot, Kurt extended a hand. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Anderson," he said.

"Amie," she corrected softly, placing her hand in his and dropping her gaze after only a short moment. Kurt suddenly got the impression that Blaine's mother was not just a reserved person, but had more than likely lost her confidence to years of marital turmoil, fear, and submission. _My mom's really shy, _he remembered Blaine saying. _I think Dad scares her, too, to be honest. Most of the time she just takes on extra hours at the office to avoid coming home._

Kurt swallowed hard. How much would the Andersons have to go through before their family was on stable ground? That was, if it could ever be "stable."

Blaine paused for a moment before leading the others to a quiet area where they could sit, at the far end of the food court. All was quiet for a moment, broken only by the tiny sigh that escaped from Amie's mouth. To Kurt, it seemed as though she was accepting the inevitable, waiting for Blaine to tell her that everything was far from okay. And although he knew that Amie Anderson was no perfect mother, her obvious struggle was enough to make Kurt's heart ache with sympathy. She was clearly torn between the desire to love her son and the independence that had been stolen from her.

"Mom…" Blaine started carefully.

Amie stared down at the table, and Kurt watched a tear trail down her cheek. He felt like an outsider, like he was interrupting an important family moment. He turned to Blaine questioningly, but Blaine just took his hand and squeezed gently.

"What do you know?"

Amie just shook her head, speechless, blinking back tears.

Blaine bit his lip. "I know it's not easy to hear this, but I have to tell you what's going on," he said softly. "The police are looking for Dad. He's been threatening to hurt me if he finds me. I'm not even safe at Dalton anymore… and… and I really don't think it's safe for you to be around him, either."

Amie's response was automatic, nearly rehearsed. "Blaine, he's your father. He's my husband. We love each other."

Blaine looked pained. Did his mother even _know_ what love was anymore? "He's having an affair," he admitted finally, barely breathing those words that were so hard to say.

It was all so hard to watch. Kurt wanted to get up and walk away. He wanted to save Blaine and his mother from all the sadness, all the fear… But what could he do? What could anyone do?

"I'm so sorry," Blaine said, disentangling his fingers from Kurt's to place a hand over his mother's trembling one. She kept her gaze downcast, though the tears streaming down her cheeks were unhidden. "Please don't go back to him."

Amie's shoulder's shook as she choked back a sob. "Where else am I supposed to go?"

"I… There must be somewhere…"

As Blaine's words trailed off, Kurt's mind began to race. He knew that Burt and Carole would probably be willing to take Amie into their home, as well. After the events of that morning, however, the risk of Mr. Anderson realizing that Kurt was the one hiding Blaine seemed to have increased. What Blaine and Amie really needed now was a very secret place, somewhere no one would think to look- no mistakes this time.

And it just so happened that Kurt knew _exactly_ the place.

"I'll be right back," he said suddenly, jumping up from his seat. Blaine looked up in confusion. "I have an idea… I think I know someone who can help. I'll just be a few minutes."

x.x.x

Blaine couldn't tell if his hands were shaking, or if it was just his mother's shaking under his own.

It was strange to be here with her, trying to comfort her. Blaine could barely remember the last time they had actually spent time together. How long had it been since they had even _seen_ each other? Months?

Blaine couldn't stand the realization that he had left her so defenseless. It was clear that things had gotten out of hand recently; Amie was too thin, too quiet… too fragile in every way possible. She wasn't the same person he remembered. Why hadn't he ever called home? Why hadn't he at least checked to make sure that she was okay?

"I'm sorry," Blaine whispered, his voice catching slightly as it occurred to him that there was not much he could do to make up for her suffering. They had both been captured by this terrible situation, forced to fight or find shelter or give in. Escape would never erase all the battle scars.

And… and what if Amie had never been tied to her husband's prejudice? What if she had been free to think and do as she pleased from the very beginning? Maybe the relationship she and Blaine shared would be different. Maybe Blaine would have actually grown up with the love of a family in his life, even if it had just been the two of them, mother and son.

Those were the sort of thoughts that really threw Blaine's feelings into a different light. Knowing that his mother was going through so much pain and misery, Blaine _despised _his father. He despised _thinking_ of him as hisfather. He wanted to forget that they had ever been called a "family" or associated themselves with words like _love._

Richard Anderson didn't have a clue what love meant.

Amie shook her head. "It's not… it's not your fault."

Blaine didn't have an answer for that. He knew she was right- it wasn't his fault. And yet, he had spent so many years being treated as the basis of the problems in their family. Fights between his parents, his fights with his parents, awkward situations involving houseguests and visiting relatives… all of it had seemed to rest on Blaine's shoulders. It was too heavy a weight to forget so easily.

"I'm glad you're here," he said finally, because it was the only thing that he could think of.

x.x.x

"I've called in a favor," Kurt announced, joining their somber party at the table, rather out of place with his smile.

Blaine looked up at him unsurely. "What do you mean?"

"Remember Tina? From dinner the other night?"

Slowly, Blaine nodded. He had no clue where Kurt was going with this, but he did seem pleased with himself.

"She and her mother have been trying to rent out a spare room at their house," Kurt explained. "Tina's been asking us to help her advertise it to seniors who might like to use it during college or something. When you said you needed a place to stay, it was the first thing that came to my mind… so I just called. The Cohen-Changs said that they would be more than willing to give you the room for free until you're both safe."

Amie stared at him, all wide eyes and small features. "I… I couldn't… not without even paying them-"

"Mom," Blaine interjected, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "You should go. Dad wouldn't…" Blaine nearly flinched at his own word choice. _Richard,_ he revised mentally. "He wouldn't look there. You'd be totally out of danger… besides, it's only for a little while."

Biting her lip, Amie answered with a slow nod. "You're right," she said. She sniffed and wiped at her wet eyes. "I've been meaning to… fix this for a while now. It's about time someone did something."

Kurt smiled softly. He was so grateful to be able to help; it meant a lot to have encouraged bravery from such a broken person, even though they had just met. It made him proud of her. She and Blaine were stronger than they realized.

Blaine leaned over to pull his mother into a hug. She sighed tiredly, but pulled her arms around him as well.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked tentatively. He paused as Blaine moved back to his original position and turned to face him. "Tina and her mother invited you to stay with them, too. You'd be sleeping on the couch, but it's no worse than what you have at my house, and it would probably be… better. Especially after what happened at Dalton…"

Blaine swallowed. He hadn't thought of that. It would only make sense for him to stay with his mother to protect her, and to keep away from Kurt to protect him_._ Still, he hated the idea of being separated from Kurt now, after what they'd been through and the way they had connected. "I…um-" he started.

Kurt took his hand. "We'll talk," he promised.

Blaine let out a sigh, relieved to be able to avoid having this conversation in public. He had a lot of things to think about, and having a discussion focused solely on him at the moment seemed like too much to handle. In fact, he sort of wanted to go back to the house and curl up together in Kurt's bed and sleep forever.

Amie pulled a tissue from her purse and wiped at her eyes again. "I'd better go," she said. "I have to work soon."

Blaine frowned slightly. "Take a day off, Mom," he suggested. He nodded in the direction of a nearby clothing store. "Buy yourself something. Have some fun. You deserve it."

Smiling thinly, Amie slipped her bag over her shoulder and stood up. "You've got a big heart, Blaine," she said, but it was like they had just met and this was her first impression of him. Maybe it was, in a way. Blaine didn't know what to think. "Thank you," Amie added sincerely. "For everything."

x.x.x

The parking lot was relatively quiet, though it was still midday and the mall would not be closed for hours. Clouds hung gray and silent overhead, reflecting the dreary and exhausted feelings building up in Blaine. There was too much to consider and plan. If he was being honest with himself right now, giving up felt like a very inviting option.

But he could never do that.

"So, I got you something," Kurt said out of the blue, a smile tugging at his lips. "I saw it when I walked away to call Tina, and I thought it might cheer you up a bit."

Blaine tilted his head, smiling in spite of himself and just looking for a moment. Kurt was far too thoughtful- Blaine wondered how he might ever be able to match up to such perfection. Was it even possible?

Kurt reached into one of his shopping bags and produced a small box. He placed it in Blaine's hand. "Don't tell me I 'shouldn't have,'" Kurt added matter-of-factly. "Because I wanted to."

A breath of a laugh escaped Blaine's lips as he glanced down and opened the box. Inside was a silver ring hung from a black leather chain. Blaine balanced the necklace on his palm, staring down at the single, perfect word engraved into smooth silver:

_Courage._


	14. Elizabeth

_**Author's Note:**__** Hey there hello! So I wasn't entirely sure what to do with this chapter… which is part of why it took such a long time to post. I knew what I wanted to happen, but not exactly how to put it together. So I tossed ideas around for a while and this is what I came up with. The first part is kind of a filler to level out the drama and settle some minor questions, and then, well… you'll see. Let me know what you think! :) **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 14: Elizabeth~

"Tomorrow's Monday," Kurt sighed, staring up at the ceiling as he reclined back on his bed. The sun was setting just beyond the window, casting long shadows across the room and drenching everything in a soft, red-orange glow.

Blaine nodded from his spot opposite Kurt, curling his knees to his chest. "I know."

"I don't want to go to school."

"So, don't," Blaine answered simply. "Just say you're helping my mom and I get settled at Tina's."

Kurt sighed again. He and Blaine had been discussing their options all afternoon and had yet to make a firm decision. Blaine wanted to distance himself for the sake of Kurt's safety, but at the same time, he wanted to be nearby in case anything should happen. Meanwhile, Kurt wanted Blaine to be with his mother, yet it was getting more and more difficult to even think about being apart. School, however, seemed to be the tie-breaker; Blaine needed a place to stay while Kurt was away during the weekdays, at least for the time being.

"I don't want you to leave," Kurt admitted. He knew he was whining, but after a long day and a lot of fear and worry and questions, it was all he could come up with.

Blaine moved closer, smiling softly as he wrapped his fingers around Kurt's. "I know," he answered. "But it's not as bad as it seems. I'll be back and forth all the time. You'll see plenty of me, I promise."

Kurt paused, absentmindedly tracing his fingertips over the patterns of Blaine's palm, thinking about how suddenly everything had changed. Had it really only been a week since they had first met? Three days since Kurt had introduced the Dalton Reform badboy to his treasured theatre? Kurt felt like he was speeding down a path, gaining more momentum than he knew how to let go of, and inexplicably loving every minute of it. In all of his daydreams he had never imagined finding someone quite like Blaine. Then, suddenly, there he was.

Biting his lip, Kurt looked up to meet Blaine's eyes. "Want to make dinner with me?" he asked, his heart warming at the mere fact that he finally had someone to do these things with, someone who was just _there_, smiling, talking with him, sharing in those beautiful little moments of contentment.

"Absolutely," Blaine replied, squeezing Kurt's hand and walking with him to the kitchen.

x.x.x

Burt had been far from prepared to watch his only son fall in love for the first time, he realized, standing unnoticed by the kitchen doorway as Kurt swatted Blaine away from a dish cooling on the stove. The two laughed together, working through a recipe of some sort, talking about nothing and everything, and sharing affectionate little glances every now and again.

Burt knew what he was looking at; he had felt all of those same things in his lifetime. He just wished that watching his son go through it didn't make him feel so, well… _old._

And it would have been nice if he'd had someone to share it with, too. He just knew she would have loved this.

Blaine was different, somehow. He was more gentle and polite than a lot of other boys his age, despite the reform school upbringing. He laughed easily and put careful thought into his words. He looked at Kurt like he meant the world to him, and the way it made the kid smile meant the world to Burt in return.

Burt wasn't entirely sure if he liked the fact that Blaine had such a complicated family, especially not if it could put Kurt in danger. Yet there was something about him that made Burt trust him, something that made him sure no one would ever be allowed to hurt his son so long as Blaine was around…

"Blaine, I swear, if you put your hands anywhere _near_ that quiche again, I will throw you out the window."

Blaine chuckled. "But it smells good."

"It won't smell like anything from across the yard with the doors locked."

Burt bit back a laugh. His son was far too sarcastic for his own good. Exactly like his mother.

With a smile, Blaine leaned in, kissing Kurt on the cheek, like he had done it a hundred times before and would do it a billion times in the future. Burt felt his pulse quicken, wondering if this was really what he wanted under his roof. After all, boys could be chaste, but that couldn't last forever. And Kurt, well… Kurt wasn't made of stone. He threw his whole heart into things, and to chance it get broken was a pretty huge risk to take.

Boys.

_What do you think, Liz?_ Burt thought, his heart tight in his chest.

Sometimes, it was like she was giving him the answers; she was so very alive in Kurt. And with the way his son turned to Blaine now, and the way he smiled… Burt didn't even have to wonder. He just knew.

x.x.x

Late Monday morning found Blaine resting his head on Kurt's shoulder, watching idly as a young Barbra Streisand danced across the television screen. A plateful of pancakes waited on the coffee table in front of him, an abandoned brunch that had seemed like such a wonderful idea earlier. Now he just couldn't eat.

Blaine wanted to be here in the moment with his boyfriend, really. But it was hard to focus on much of anything, and he simply couldn't stop over-thinking. His thoughts were caught somewhere between a need to protect everyone he cared about, and a desire to stay here with Kurt and just keep on pretending that it was all okay.

But they couldn't avoid this situation forever. At some point today, Blaine was going to have to pack up what little he had, move it all to the car, and drive over to Tina's. And tomorrow, Kurt would go back to school and life would go on, while Blaine waited for the police to take action. And that would be all.

Blaine didn't know why that seemed like such a hard option to deal with. Maybe he was just too afraid to be alone anymore. Kurt had saved him, taken care of him… and now it was Blaine's turn to take care of someone else. But did he have the strength for that?

His fingers clutched at the ring around his neck. _Courage._ "Kurt, I-"

Blaine stopped abruptly as Kurt's phone began to skitter across the coffee table in front of them, vibrating angrily. Kurt sighed and reached for it, giving Blaine an apologetic look before answering. "Hello?"

Very slowly, Kurt's facial expression changed, melting into something worried, and then shocked, and then panicked. "I'll be right there," he said in a rush, already on his feet and bolting for the front door.

Blaine ran after him, confused. His heart was already starting to beat too quickly. "Kurt!" he called, barreling into the driveway, the front door left open in his haste. Kurt had somehow already managed to get into his car and begin backing into the street, and Blaine certainly wasn't interested in being left behind to wonder what was going on. He grabbed for the passenger side door handle, leaping in before the car had so much as stopped.

Blaine slammed the door shut behind him and whirled around to face Kurt. "What the _hell?"_

Kurt just shook his head and focused on the road, driving way too fast for someone who had once been afraid to ride a motorcycle. Blaine's pulse drummed in his ears; there were a million things that could have gone wrong at this point, and, frankly, he felt that they had already had enough excitement for one week.

It took a while for Blaine to realize where they were headed. Finally, they approached Hill Street, and he remembered walking here in the rain, hurt, freezing, scared…

Then he saw the fire.

Kurt's car squealed to a stop by the side of the road and he leapt out as Blaine stared after him in shock. The theatre was all up in flames, and from the looks of it the firemen at the scene had only just arrived.

This was Kurt's place, the only thing he had left of his mother. And it was burning down.

"Shit." Blaine pushed his door open, moving quickly through the small crowd that had started to gather to watch the scene. He found Kurt at the front of it all, dangerously close to the red-hot, curling flames. Blaine's lungs ached against the stifle of smoke as he hurried forward.

"Kurt?"

Kurt just shook his head, staring helplessly at the sight before him, his hands held open at his sides as if he were trying to gather something that wasn't really there. His face was pure white, and the tears in his eyes shone orange as they reflected the blaze.

"You kids are gonna have to get back," said one of the firemen, approaching them with a stern look on his face. He probably didn't even know that Kurt owned the place.

Still, Blaine nodded, nervous at Kurt's proximity to the collapsing theatre and suffocating smoke. "Right," he said, his voice breaking slightly. He reached for Kurt, trying to lead him away. "Kurt? Come on. This isn't safe."

Kurt shook his head again, his eyes never straying from the building.

The fireman sighed in annoyance. "Look, kid, it's no big deal. It won't take that long to put out. The place was just taking up space, anyway. Nobody uses it anymore."

Blaine wanted to scream at him. _You don't understand. This is _his_ place! This is all he has left of her and now it's gone and you're just standing there telling him it doesn't even matter!_

But Blaine had a better use for the few, short moments they had left, and he wasn't about to waste them. He loved Kurt too much to watch him suffer and do nothing at all to help.

Suddenly, Blaine was sprinting towards the theatre. Behind him, he could hear a cacophony of protest. "Damnit, kid, get back here!" "What's he doing?" "You idiot, come back!"

_"Blaine!"_

Kurt.

He was doing this for Kurt.

Blaine knew the window at the back of the theatre. He knew it was broken, and he remembered exactly how easy it had been to slip through the perfectly cut whole he had created. Removing all the glass while he stood outside in the pouring rain had seemed ridiculous at the time. Now, it was like fate.

The sides of the building felt hot and pliable under his hands as he clambered through the window again. The fire hadn't quite spread to this side yet, thankfully, but the smoke was more than he could handle. He gasped for breath, staring around wildly, trying to gather his thoughts as they spiraled out of control in an instant.

_Kurt._

Blaine jumped as a crash echoed from the other side of the building. In response, a piece of wood fell from the ceiling, landing nearby with a loud clatter. He could hear voices, panicked and distant. If he didn't get out soon, the place was going to collapse on top of him, or someone was going to come in after him and they would both end up hurt. Or worse.

His eyes stung. Blaine blinked rapidly, staring through the smoke and feeling his way along the wall. It had to be here somewhere, he was sure of it.

_There._

"Ah-" Blaine choked out as his hand landed against the overheated wood of the nearest bench. He pulled it back, watching as a bright red welt bloomed across his skin, stinging fiercely.

Gritting his teeth, Blaine turned back to the wall. He reached out, locking his fingers around the miraculously unscathed photo of Elizabeth Hummel. If Kurt couldn't have the theatre, at least he could have a piece of it.

With the frame tucked securely under his arm, Blaine started towards the window again. He coughed, trying to ignore the fact that his head was swimming and his lungs felt too tight. It didn't help that he could barely keep his eyes open, the smoke blurring his vision. He needed to get out. He had to-

A particularly nearby crash sent Blaine shaking all over. The window felt miles away, the effort of pulling himself out just too much. He was going to die in here.

_Kurt._

Blaine coughed again, throwing himself against the window, gasping for the little bit of oxygen filtering into the building. _Come on,_ he thought. _Just do it already. Do it for Kurt._

A push, a tug, and a stumbling fall later, Blaine found himself on the ground outside the back of the theatre, coughing violently and clutching the photograph to his chest. _You stupid jackass, _he thought to himself, fighting to keep himself conscious as he stared at the burns on his arms and hands. Kurt wouldn't be happy about that, he was certain.

Before Blaine had even made his way to the front of the theatre, however, he was surrounded by firemen, reporters, and paramedics. All of them were speaking at once, trying to ask him questions or get him to look at them. But he didn't want to talk to them. He wanted Kurt.

"Blaine!"

The familiar face in front of him didn't look quite right. All Blaine could see were Kurt's eyes, shining with tears and terror and shock. Shakily, he offered the photo. Kurt took it and stared down at it for a moment. "Blaine, why would you do that?" he asked softly, tears streaming.

_Because I love you._

Blaine coughed frantically, his legs going weak beneath him. "I…" he started. Someone reached for him, steadying him as he collapsed. Everything went black. "I think you know."


	15. Words

_**Author's Note:**__** Hello again! :) How is everyone? I've been trying to prepare a little "present" for the holidays in the form of a oneshot, so if any of you are interested that might be up soon (if I can come up with something to write…). Also, I just wanted to give another HUGE thank you to my reviewers; your comments never fail to make me smile!**_

_**As for this chapter, I basically just unearthed a boatload of emotions and tossed them onto my keyboard. And I may have gotten a little teary-eyed writing some of this… but you know… feelings. And lots of fluff.**_

_**Anyway, it's not a very long scene, but I felt that this part needed a chapter all its own. I hope you like! I'll have more posted as soon as I can. :) **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 15: Words~

Blaine's first thought was that his whole body felt strange. He blinked, trying to come to terms with why everything about waking up suddenly felt so unfamiliar. And… and where was he?

Then he saw Kurt's face.

It was nice waking up to Kurt.

Blaine smiled. It felt bizarre, detached from his body, almost, and he didn't understand why. Oh, well. It didn't matter to him where they were or why everything felt weird… Kurt was here. That was the important thing. Blaine opened his mouth to speak, but even his voice seemed wrong. "Hi," he managed hoarsely. It was like his throat had been sandpapered.

Kurt burst into tears.

"Kurt?" Blaine asked, his eyes widening in confusion. Kurt. Beautiful, incredible Kurt. Blaine couldn't figure out what had gone wrong, and it scared him.

"Blaine, you unbelievable _idiot!_ Why would you _do that to me?_ Acting like some kind of delusional-"

As Kurt's words broke off into sobs, Blaine blinked in surprise. This was all his fault, whatever it was. His beautiful Kurt was _crying_ because of _him,_ and he didn't know what to do because his memory was all in a haze… He watched Kurt lean forward, his head falling into his hands and his elbows resting along the edge of Blaine's hospital bed.

His _hospital bed._

Oh, god.

Blaine raised a hand tentatively into his line of sight, turning it, observing the bandaged skin there as memories of Kurt's shock, of insensitive firemen, and of running into burning buildings flooded his mind. He coughed, an unpleasant reminder of the smoke pressing all around him as the theatre burned to the ground and almost took him down with it.

Oh, god. No wonder Kurt was so upset...

Kurt nearly flinched away as he felt Blaine's hand come to rest gently on his shoulder. His chest heaved with sobs, his thoughts spinning sporadically inside his head. _Blaine._ Blaine was awake now, and he was here with him. He was going to be perfectly fine. The burns were nothing major, and the doctors were confident that he would recover easily from the smoke inhalation. He was going to be fine. But… but if he hadn't been… then it would have been because of-

"Oh… _Blaine_…" Kurt choked out finally, tears boiling over again as he lifted his head and stared into Blaine's sleep-heavy eyes.

Kurt just couldn't bring himself to understand the fact that this boy had willingly put himself in so much danger, just for the sake of Kurt's happiness. Undeniably, the rescued photograph was more than Kurt could have ever asked for under the circumstances, and he was thankful to have it to keep. But the simple truth behind what Blaine had risked for him was just… too much.

"Blaine Anderson, you are an idiot," Kurt stated once more, wiping at his eyes and trying to steady his breathing.

Blaine smiled weakly. "So I hear."

Kurt knotted his hands together to stop them from shaking. He knew he was going to have to stop throwing all the aftermath of his panic at Blaine. It had been hours since he had watched that ambulance drive away from the scene of the fire, hours since he had decided exactly what he needed to say to Blaine. And now was the time to say it, and he felt choked and terrified by the weight of it.

Reality could be so very, very heavy, sometimes.

"Blaine?"

As their eyes met, Kurt couldn't help but lose himself for a moment in thought. Here was Blaine, who had rescued him from the bullies at Dalton and thrown him head-over-heels with a charm like nothing he had ever experienced before. Blaine, who had broken down all the walls between the two of them and given Kurt his first real kiss. Blaine, who, under a façade of self-confidence and skin so thick, was truly lost and afraid and just needed someone to care for him. Blaine, who only wanted Kurt to know that he loved him.

_I think you know._

Kurt knew. Of course he knew, because who couldn't see what they had? Blaine loved him, and he was willing to do _anything_ to prove it.

Blaine loved him.

"Blaine." Kurt sighed shakily, blinking back tears and biting his lip. He felt ridiculous, sitting here and saying nothing, when all he had to say was really so simple. But was it simple? Words could mean more than anything, sometimes. To Kurt, who had been so hurt by words in the past, and who wanted to say so many things but never could, feared only the substance of it all. He wanted everything he said to have real meaning, and when the stability of his heart was on the line, making mistakes just didn't feel like an option.

So, the other half of the question was… _did Kurt know?_

He had to know himself.

Blaine was different, and since they had first met, it was as if he was the only thing Kurt could think about. Then he started to become more than that, until Kurt couldn't fathom being apart from him.

Kurt knew Blaine's best qualities. He also knew what the world would see as Blaine's worst faults, but to Kurt they were just the little quirks that added up to make him so wonderful. He was not like anything Kurt had ever believed he wanted; instead, he was so much more and everything Kurt needed.

"I love you, Blaine," Kurt breathed finally, his heart swelling with each word and his eyes filling with tears all over again, in spite of the smile on his lips.

Blaine looked at him for a moment, blinking in surprise, taking in the meaning of Kurt's words. He reached out, grasping Kurt's hand and fitting their fingers together like matching puzzle pieces.

Their eyes met, and Blaine smiled. "I love you, too," he answered, and squeezed Kurt's hand softly.


	16. Welcome Back

_**Author's Note:**__** Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry for the wait! I had meant to post this much earlier, but I had a bit of writer's block and getting ready for the holidays takes up so much time. I know I promised a Christmas oneshot, as well, but I figured I should get back to this first. Anyway, thank you for your patience and your lovely comments on the last chapter, as always. **_

_**So this part starts a little slow, but after that it's more on the fun side. Plus, New Directions show up. If anyone would be willing to leave feedback on my characterization of the ND members I'd very much appreciate it (as I do with all reviews)! **_

_**Also, I'm putting a second Author's Note and Disclaimer at the end, because I want to explain some things without giving away any of this chapter's surprises. ;)**_

_**Okay, here it is. Enjoy! **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 16: Welcome Back~

Kurt sighed, carefully folding one of Blaine's sweaters before tucking it into the guest room drawer. He had never been to Tina's house before, and although it seemed like a very nice place and he knew that Blaine would be in good hands, that didn't stop the lump that had been rising in his throat since they had first arrived. It felt like, all at once, everything was coming to an end: the theatre was gone for good, Blaine was healthy again and officially moved in at Tina's, and tomorrow, Kurt would be back at school for the first time in nearly a week. So much would be different.

"You okay?"

Kurt looked up in surprise at the sound of Blaine's voice, abruptly coming to the realization that he had been staring at the same sweater for a very long time. He nodded stiffly and returned to unpacking.

A moment later, Blaine was beside him, a gentle hand on his arm. "No, you're not," he countered. Kurt looked up to meet a pair of concerned eyes. He swallowed hard.

"I'm fine," Kurt managed, his voice emotionless, his gaze fixed on the open drawers once again.

Blaine sighed and tilted his head to meet Kurt's eyes. "Hey," he said. "Kurt… look at me. Everything's going to be fine."

Kurt squeezed his eyes shut before turning and allowing himself to fall into his boyfriend's arms, his head resting against Blaine's shoulder. Blaine held him close, the stillness in the room broken only by the soothing rise and fall of his chest. "I just feel like I'm losing you," Kurt whispered finally, feeling guilty because he knew Blaine would be better off here, and he knew Blaine loved him enough not to let something like this come between them.

"You'll never lose me." Blaine's voice was steady, certain. He kissed the top of Kurt's head softly. "I'm all yours."

Kurt bit his lip, hoping with all of his strength that Blaine was right. School days and long nights apart would be tough, but manageable. Blaine's father on the other hand? The possibility of a confrontation? To be sure that he would never lose Blaine to _that_, Kurt decided, was the one thing he really wanted to believe in completely.

x.x.x

Wednesday morning, Kurt sat in math class, bored and tired. His eyes kept on straying to the clock at regular intervals, even though the class was nowhere near over. He sighed, turning dejectedly to the open book in front of him, just as a crumpled ball of paper smacked him in the head.

He turned, ready to give whoever had thrown it one hell of a dirty look. Instead, his gaze landed on Mercedes, who gave him an innocent grin and a little wave and motioned for him to open the paper. With a somewhat relieved roll of his eyes, Kurt complied and stared down at his friend's purple-penned note.

_**Where have you been? I texted you about a million times and tried to talk to Finn but he was all "oh, long story, ask Kurt when he comes back." Do you have any idea what Berry's been doing to us in glee club these past few days? Do you?**_

Kurt blinked. He hadn't expected anyone to be worried about his whereabouts. Actually, part of him just wanted to lie and say that he had been sick. He scribbled an answer back quickly, folded it, and tossed it to Mercedes:

_Sorry, but it __is__ a long story. I promise I'll explain what I can later._

A few minutes passed, and another note landed in his textbook. Kurt opened it.

_**Fine, fine… just leave me out of the loop as long as possible. Whatever. Anyway, I figured I should warn you about the Halloween party Quinn's planning. It's the ONLY thing anyone's been talking about since Monday morning, and it also happens to be over a week away. I don't know how we're going to deal with this until then... it's already getting obnoxious.**_

_ …Not invited?_

_** I wouldn't want to go, anyway. Though I'm pretty sure it's one of those come-and-bring-everyone-you-know sort of events.**_

_I'll go with you if you'd like. You can get to know Blaine._

_**Who?**_

_…My boyfriend…_

_**Oh HELL NO, you did NOT go out and get yourself a boy and not tell me about it. You tell me NOTHING. Wait… is that why you've been out of school…?**_

_Like I said, it's complicated. Blaine's definitely something special, though. You'll like him._

_**I still can't believe you didn't text me back. **_

_I really am sorry, Mercy. I like your outfit today? :)_

_**Nice try, Hummel. Talk to you after class. xoxox**_

x.x.x

One thing Kurt certainly had not missed during his long weekend was the busy hallways of McKinley. He hated shoving his way through thick crowds of students. He hated having to avoid every jock that might pass his way. And he hated always staying on the lookout for slushies.

Unfortunately, sometimes he just couldn't see them coming.

_What a perfect welcome back, _Kurt thought bitterly, leaning over a sink in the boys' bathroom and washing blue dye from his face. He shivered against the chill of ice running down his shirt, trying to ignore the sting in his eyes. Azimio's voice echoed in his mind like a broken record: _free facials today, pixie boy! _One thing was for sure: even if Kurt didn't like spending time apart from Blaine, he was glad that he wasn't around to see this. Or maybe to go through it himself, for that matter.

Finally cleaned up and changed into a new shirt, Kurt emerged from the bathroom and looked around cautiously. It was strange how much being slushied reminded him of Karofsky and the bullying at Dalton Reform. He was glad he didn't have to keep an eye out for _him,_ at least. That might just be too much to handle.

The rest of the day progressed painfully slow. By the time the bell rang to dismiss him from his class before glee, he was practically running from the room.

"Yay, you're back!" Brittany called as Kurt walked into the room. He smiled, thankful that he had at least one group of people willing to welcome him to school again with open arms.

Mr. Schuester looked up from a stack of papers and smiled at him. "Oh, Kurt, good to see you back here again. Everything okay at home?"

Kurt nodded quickly, moving to take a seat across the room next to Tina. "Yes," he said, trying his best to sound casual. "Everything's fine." Discreetly, Tina gave his arm a comforting little squeeze. He was glad she had been the first to learn the truth, and he was eternally grateful for her helpful nature. Kurt turned and gave her a small smile of thanks.

Then Rachel walked in.

"Okay guys, Sectionals are coming up fast and as you all know we don't have a lot of time left to waste brainstorming, so I think we should- oh, Kurt, hello! –I think we should pick a song _today_ and-"

"Berry, do you think you could attempt to make your voice sound a little less like a dying hyena?" Santana interjected. "I got a migraine the second you walked through the door."

Rachel pursed her lips uncertainly. "I…"

In a moment, Mr. Schuster had taken his place beside her at the front of the room. "Hey, you guys, Rachel's right. We have some serious work to do."

Rachel glanced up at him quickly before nodding in agreement. "Exactly. And I have a few ideas ready so we can start right away."

Kurt chuckled under his breath as Mercedes rolled her eyes upward and stared hopelessly at the ceiling.

"What did you have in mind?" Quinn asked hesitantly.

"Well, I was thinking-"

Suddenly, Tina's hand shot up. Kurt looked to her in surprise. "Excuse me? Sorry, but do you mind if I show you my idea first?" She smiled a little. "I think it might be something you'd like to see today."

Rachel blinked, looking both taken aback and mildly impressed. "Oh, um, sure, Tina," she said after a moment. "Go ahead."

Tina's smile widened and she made her way down to the center of the room as Mr. Schue and Rachel moved aside. Kurt was a little confused- nevertheless, he'd been pleasantly surprised by his fellow glee club members on more than one occasion. He was curious to see what Tina had planned.

On her signal, the usual group of ever-present band members launched into a song that Kurt mildly recognized. Tina began to sing, a tiny smile on her lips and her body relatively still.

"_I __don't know but_

_I think I may be  
>fallin' for you<em>

_dropping so quickly  
>Maybe I should<br>keep this to myself  
>Waiting 'til I<br>know you better  
>I am trying<br>not to tell you  
>But I want to<br>I'm scared of what you'll say  
>And so I'm hiding<br>what I'm feeling  
>But I'm tired of<br>Holding this inside my head."_

Suddenly, Tina bolted for the door, grabbing for something just around the corner. She returned a moment later, and there was a collective sense of confusion that spread around the room.

Kurt just stared. He felt like his every nerve had frozen, his eyes wide, his mouth fallen open…

This was a dream, wasn't it?

But there was Blaine, and he was singing with Tina, their voices blending together as they danced around the room in a silly routine of steps and spins.

"_I've been spending all my time  
>Just thinking about ya<br>I don't know what to do  
>I think I'm fallin' for you<em>

I've been waiting all my life  
>and now I found ya<br>I don't know what to do  
>I think I'm falling for you...<br>I'm falling for you..."

Kurt blushed as Blaine winked in his direction. He had no idea what was happening, and yet the grin on his face and the butterfly of a heart in his chest felt utterly irreplaceable. Blaine's voice was just as he remembered it from that first time they'd sung together at Dalton Reform. Everything was so different now, though, from the clear understanding between them to Blaine's smile as he directed all of the next verse straight at Kurt.

"_As I'm standing here  
>and you hold my hand<br>Pull me towards you  
>and we start to dance<br>All around us  
>I see nobody<br>Here in silence  
>it's just<br>you and me."_

Tina chimed in again, laughing as she and Blaine continued their dance around the room. Kurt, despite his confusion, felt like he might burst with joy, merely at the unexpected sight of Blaine happier and more carefree than he'd ever seen him before. He wasn't sure what had happened to bring about such a change, but it was perfect and Kurt never wanted Blaine to lose that smile again.

"_I'm trying  
>Not to tell you<br>But I want to  
>I'm scared of what you'll say<br>And so I'm hiding  
>What I'm feeling<br>But I'm tired of  
>Holding this inside my head<br>I've been spending all my time  
>Just thinking about ya<br>I don't know what to do  
>I think I'm fallin' for you<br>I've been waiting all my life  
>And now I found ya<br>I don't know what to do  
>I think I'm fallin' for you...<br>I'm fallin' for you..."_

By the time the song came to an end, Kurt was pretty sure he had never simultaneously blushed and smiled more in his whole life. The music stopped, and Blaine and Tina exchanged a glance while the rest of the room stared at them curiously.

"This is my new friend, Blaine Anderson," Tina explained, motioning to him. Blaine glanced at the other glee club members briefly before fixing his eyes on Kurt's. "He'll be an official McKinley student starting tomorrow."

_**Author's Note:**__** Okay, I think I'll leave you there! ;) Believe me, there's a logical reason behind Blaine's appearance, the fact that he had a song rehearsed with Tina, and so on. I'll cover all of that in the next chapter.**_

_**I chose the song "Fallin' for You" as a representation of the happier parts of Kurt and Blaine's relationship in this story. Although they're always surrounded by drama and are legitimately falling in love, underneath it all they're really just a couple of high school kids who found a little joy in spending time together. I think that at this point in their relationship, they're getting more comfortable and are less afraid to do things for each other, like dance and sing and be silly. So I hope you approve. :) **_

_**Love all of you and your wonderful support… I wish you the very happiest of holidays!**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** Song credits in this chapter go to Colbie Caillat: "Fallin' for You."**_


	17. The Afflictions of Cherry Flavored Ice

_**Author's Note:**__** Hello again. Many BIG thanks to all of you for your lovely comments on the last chapter! By the way, to those of you who would like to keep up with my progress between updates, you can always check out the tag "under skin so thick" or "allpurpleink" on Tumblr. They're full of my rambling, but generally will keep you informed as to when another chapter should be posted. I also leave little spoilers on occasion. ;)**_

_**This next bit is relatively angsty… particularly Blaingsty. But, hey, who doesn't love a good round of emotions once in a while, right? Besides, things need to slow down a bit before we get into a certain area of really big drama and suspense. **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 17: The Afflictions of Cherry-Flavored Ice~

As Mr. Schuester and Rachel gave Blaine an enthusiastic welcome, Kurt watched the wheels turning in the minds of his peers. Although some seemed oblivious to anything out of the ordinary, Mercedes' jaw dropped as soon as Tina introduced Blaine. Meanwhile, the expressions on Sam and Mike's faces said that they had not been entirely informed of the events that had taken place since they'd all met at Breadstix a few nights prior.

Kurt knew he would have to think of an explanation for everything at some point. For now, though, he sort of just wanted one for himself.

After a few minutes, Blaine was invited to take a seat with the others. He followed Tina, the two of them settling in beside Kurt while the rest of the room stared curiously. Kurt tried not to meet their eyes, instead waiting for Mr. Schue to regain everyone's attention. Then he turned to Blaine.

"How?" Kurt asked under his breath.

Blaine smiled, keeping his eyes on the front of the room as he leaned over to whisper back. "My mom was finally able to sign the transfer papers. Even if my dad finds out, it shouldn't matter; the police are looking for him now."

"And the song?"

"Tina's idea. She thought I should secure a place in glee club as quickly as possible… something about a supportive environment. I figured as long as it gave me a chance to spend time with you during the day it would be perfect. We were up, like, half the night rehearsing."

Kurt's lips twitched upward. Discreetly, he reached over and gave Blaine's hand a little squeeze. Blaine squeezed back.

"You realize we're going to have to explain to everyone how Tina and I know you, right?" Kurt added quietly.

Blaine shrugged. "We'll think of something."

x.x.x

The next morning, Blaine found himself wandering the halls of McKinley High, his eyes glued to his new schedule as he tried to determine where he was supposed to be going. Tina and Kurt had tried to map out the structure of the school for him when they'd all gathered at the Lima Bean the night before. However, with Blaine's slightly less-than-ideal sense of direction, their efforts seemed to have been lost on him entirely. Brushing past groups of students as dozens of suspicious stares were thrown at him, Blaine suddenly felt very small and out of place. His untouchable presence at Dalton felt like a distant memory… how had he ever pulled it off for so long?

By the time the room numbers labeling classroom doors stopped making sense, Blaine knew that he would be late to third period Classical Literature... or wherever he was supposed to be going. He sighed, pulling out his cell phone and searching for Kurt's number.

"Hello?"

It was insanely relieving to hear a familiar voice. Blaine smiled into the phone. "Hey," he said. "I'm kind of lost."

"Where are you?"

Blaine glanced around, his eyes coming to rest on a door labeled _nurse._ "By the nurse's office."

"Be there in a second."

"Thanks," Blaine sighed, silently thanking whoever might be listening for making Kurt the helpful type. "You're amazing, you know that?"

Kurt's laugh echoed softly through the phone. "Of course I do. I'm on my way."

Blaine smiled, pocketing his phone while a warm feeling of gratitude blossomed in his chest. He had Kurt here with him, and Kurt was the one person he knew could get him through anything.

But, then, Blaine really hadn't counted on dealing with McKinley's bullies.

_Splash._

Blaine stood frozen in place, blinking through wet, heavy eyelashes and trying to determine what exactly had just happened. His ears rang with the sound of cruel, mocking laughter. His clothes were drenched, sopping with icy, red stickiness. He inhaled sharply and shuddered against the cold, blinded by the stinging in his eyes.

Then someone was saying his name. "_Oh_, Blaine…"

A moment later, the source of the familiar voice was tugging him from the hall and through a door. Blaine wiped at his eyes, squinting until he could make out the appearance of the school bathroom surrounding them. He saw Kurt standing over one of the sinks, letting the water run over his fingers with an eerily calm expression on his face, like he had seen this happen too many times before.

"Come here," he instructed, placing a careful hand on the back of Blaine's neck and lowering his head into the sink.

Blaine coughed as water ran uncomfortably into his nose. He watched a stream of artificial cherry-redness swirl away, a tributary in a white-porcelain riverbed.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you," Kurt said softly, his fingertips pushing ice from Blaine's hair like tiny shards of glass. "The red ones are terrible."

Blaine straightened up suddenly, eyes wide. "They've done this to you?"

Kurt just sighed and guided Blaine back to the sink. "Of course they have. It's practically a rite of passage around here. Slushie facials?"

_"What?"_

"I know, I know… not exactly a pleasant experience, and it's a pain convincing the lady at the drycleaner's to get the stains out, but it could be worse, right?"

"Kurt-" Blaine was cut off as Kurt's hands directed him upright again and mopped his face carefully with a thick wad of paper towels.

"You just get used to it after a while," Kurt explained, his lips downturned in a little frown as he continued to fuss over cleaning Blaine. "I take it you don't have any spare clothes with you? I can lend you a shirt or-"

_"Kurt."_

Their eyes met for a second, and Blaine was taken aback by the sad, stale, wisdom in Kurt's. In those eyes, Blaine could see the hundreds of days this kindhearted boy had endured over the years, fighting to hold his head high while others called him out, pushed him around, and threw icy drinks at the clothes he always cared for so wholeheartedly. And surely his pride would have taken just as hard a hit.

Kurt's voice shook as he spoke. "I'm sorry," he said again. "You didn't deserve that, especially not on your first day."

"It's not your fault," Blaine answered, staring down at his soaked shirt.

"I get a couple of these a day sometimes," Kurt admitted softly, stepping forward to wipe a stray drop of red dye from Blaine's hairline.

"_What?_ Why?" Blaine couldn't imagine going through this more than once- much less, more than once a day. What kind of public school let its students go through that sort of torment on a regular basis?

Kurt's lips twitched into a sad smile that tore at Blaine's heartstrings. "Isn't it obvious? I'm the glee-club gay. Perfect target."

Blaine's eyes hardened. Taking the world's hate on his own was one thing- watching it being directed at his boyfriend was another. Especially when his boyfriend was Kurt, who had never done a thing to deserve such treatment in return. "Well, seems you're not the only one anymore."

Kurt's eyebrows shot up, his expression suddenly panicked. He shook his head rapidly. "No, Blaine… you can't let them see that in you. If they find out we're together-"

"Let them. I don't care what they think, Kurt. I love you." There was a moment of complete silence, and Blaine watched Kurt's expression soften a little. "I don't want to hide who I am all the time. Not again."

Kurt dropped his gaze, looking lost in thought. Blaine understood his point of view; it made sense that Kurt would be worried about him. And yet, why should Kurt have to go through this all alone?

Finally, Kurt looked up again and met Blaine's eyes, resting a gentle hand on his cheek. "I hate to say this," he sighed. Blaine's heart sank. "But it would mean a lot to me if you… if you helped me keep this from them. Just… please."

Blaine had no desire to pretend anymore. He had Kurt now, after all, and his feelings weren't something he wanted to keep bottled up inside. And, with Kurt's permission, he would gladly walk down the halls hand-in-hand with his boyfriend and take all the slushies the McKinley football team could throw his way.

But he couldn't upset Kurt like that, not when his nerves had already been strained by the prospect of his hateful father showing up. He would find a way to make things right, but not by hurting Kurt. Never by hurting Kurt.

Slowly, Blaine nodded his agreement. "Alright," he said. "I'll… I'll be careful. They won't know a thing."

x.x.x

The remainder of the school week left Blaine feeling tense. Classes were long, dull, and lonely, and every time he happened to run into Kurt in the hallway, he had to force himself to look away. He had yet to be slushied again, but he knew for a fact that Kurt was hit by at least one on Friday.

New Directions and the freedom of the weekend seemed to be the only things keeping Blaine from losing his head. Tina was endlessly supportive, and she and her boyfriend, Mike, made good company whenever Blaine wasn't with Kurt outside of school. He had been introduced to Mercedes, along with a handful of Kurt's other friends from glee club, and had found them all to be nice- if not entertainingly quirky- people. Still, he felt trapped, caged by the knowledge that his father remained a hidden and ever-present threat, and burdened by the fact that he was running away from McKinley's bullies instead of facing them. Plus, he was worried that if he _did_ face them, Kurt would feel betrayed, and losing Kurt's trust just wasn't something he could handle at the moment. His only hope was that something would happen- anything- that would allow them to be together just like any other couple, without all the fears and secrets. Was a little piece of _normal_ so much to ask for?

But when the weekend passed without any sign of change, Blaine knew the upcoming week would be more difficult than the last. Sunday night, he sat alone in his room at Tina's, trying to clear his head. He missed Kurt. They had seen each other just that morning, but something felt strained between them… different… like all the stress was finally beginning to take its toll. It was like they had to remind themselves of who they really were, and why they had gotten together in the first place under such tangled circumstances. Now, Blaine just wanted to be back on the dance floor at Dalton Reform, all ridiculous confidence and carelessness. He wanted to be that boy who knew how to handle himself. That boy who could take care of things. Take care of Kurt.

Did Kurt still feel that way? Or did he see how broken Blaine was? And how desperately he wanted to be the complete opposite of that? He was _not_ helpless… he could allow himself a little assurance in his ability to do the right thing, generally. But was he anywhere near as strong as he needed to be?

Blaine closed his eyes against the hot sting of rising tears and curled his fingers tightly around the ring that never left his neck. _Courage._

There had to be a way to fix this mess. There had to be.


	18. When You Push Me Away

_**Author's Note:**__** Hey. This chapter is a little… different. Fair warning, there's some relatively harsh gay-bashing coming up. But we also get to see a little more badboy!Blaine, which is always fun. ;) I'll admit that this chapter is not the happiest, but there are some exciting things coming up soon, so just stick with me…**_

_**As always thank you to you kind reviewers out there! Enjoy.**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 18: When You Push Me Away~

Kurt was getting fed up with switching into new clothes every day at school. He wasn't sure what had changed, exactly, but it seemed that slushies were becoming a more and more frequent part of his schedule. Not to mention the rise in locker shoves and name calling- Kurt was now bruised in every way possible.

His sole silver lining under the circumstances was the fact that Blaine had successfully avoided the line of fire. As far as Kurt could tell, no one- aside from the people they had told in glee club- knew about their relationship. And that worked well enough for him, just so long as it kept Blaine safe.

The entire week passed with little change. Every night, Burt would check in with the police to see what had become of Blaine's father. And every night, they explained that they had nothing new to report. Kurt and Blaine, in the meantime, would meet up to study or rehearse songs for glee, but the apprehension remained. They were on lockdown, in a sense, and it felt strange and suffocating.

Friday afternoon, Kurt was at his locker, gathering his belongings to bring home for the weekend. The final bell sounded for dismissal, and as the last few lingering groups of students made their way through the exit, Kurt found himself alone in the quiet hallway.

A moment later, he jumped at the sound of his own name being called and automatically tensed for the worst. When he saw that it was only Quinn, he mentally kicked himself for being so on-edge. _Not everyone's out to get you,_ he told himself. _Get a grip._

Quinn smiled, flashing her perfect teeth. "Hey," she said casually. "Are you coming tonight?"

"To the party?" Kurt was a little surprised. Quite frankly, he hadn't expected a personal invitation. Not that he and Quinn didn't get along… but they weren't best friends, either.

"Of course." She nodded. "It's going to be fun. Everyone's going to be there. Just make sure you wear a costume."

Hesitantly, Kurt nodded, hoping that Quinn's version of "everyone" didn't include the Neanderthals that had been throwing iced beverages at his face all week. Still, he _had_ promised Mercedes, and the perfect outfit for the occasion just so happened to be prepared and hanging in his closet. He nodded once again, more firmly. "I'll be there," he said, to which Quinn gave a satisfied smile and turned to leave.

"Awesome," she replied. "See you."

By the time Quinn had strutted her way out of the hall, Kurt was more than ready to make his own exit. He shouldered his bag and turned for the door, only to be stopped again by the sound of heavy footsteps.

"Hey there, lady. Better get a move on… don't want to be late for your nail appointment."

Out of the corner of his eye, Kurt caught a glimpse of Azimio and one of his friends, a burly redhead with a sneering grin. The two laughed obnoxiously, flicking their fingertips in his direction, waving demurely, fluttering their eyelashes. Kurt squared his jaw and kept on walking; he wasn't in the mood to respond to their idiocy.

Unfortunately, he would have had to run in order to keep away from their taunts. "Hey! Slow down, pretty lady. We just wanted to talk!"

Kurt's cheeks burned, a combination of anger and embarrassment blossoming in his chest like a growing flame. Suddenly the parking lot felt very, very far away. _Just keep moving,_ he repeated inaudibly._ They're not even worth it. Keep moving. Just keep moving._

Suddenly, Kurt felt a hand land roughly on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "What's got you so quiet, huh?"

Kurt yanked away with one sharp movement, keeping his gaze locked on anything but the hateful eyes staring him down.

The redhead's tone intensified in an instant. "Hey, you _answer_ when we ask you a question, faggot."

Kurt barely had enough time to process that when another voice rang out behind them, steady and threatening.

"Shut up. Walk away. Now."

_Blaine._

All three whirled around, and Kurt's eyes landed on Blaine. His jaw was clenched, his fists curled at his sides, his eyes hard. He looked furious, and Kurt was again reminded of the reform school boy he had come to know just weeks before.

"Blaine, get out of here," he choked out as forcefully as he could manage. Kurt knew this side of him, and there was no doubt in his mind that things were already mere seconds away from taking a turn for the worst.

"Aww, how sweet," Azimio jeered. "Lady Boy's friend came to take care of him. Or is this the boyfriend?"

Blaine gritted his teeth. "So what if I am?"

_"Blaine,"_ Kurt hissed, growing frantic now. Clearly, the Neanderthals were in the mood for a fight, and if this kept up, Blaine would be right at the receiving end of it. Kurt wished he could take the words back. If only he could somehow convince them that he didn't know Blaine, that Blaine had nothing to do with him at all…

But the damage was already done.

The redhead burst into laughter. "Really?" he scoffed. "_That's_ your defense? Listen, kid, if I was you, I'd get the hell out while I still looked good. Or did you want to stick around and see how we like to deal with fags around here?"

Blaine's expression didn't waver for a second; Kurt, on the other hand, was shaking so hard he was sure he would collapse. Half a second passed and Blaine moved forward, close enough to throw a punch… or to be punched.

"Blaine, please," Kurt managed desperately, his words choked and far too quiet.

For a brief moment, their eyes met, and Kurt saw a flash of understanding… he saw the Blaine he knew, the Blaine who had promised he would be careful. Blaine would listen to him, of course he would. Blaine knew why he had to do this… didn't he?

Then Kurt saw a flash of rebellion in those eyes, and his lingering hopes disappeared. "Don't do this-"

"You want to hurt him?" Blaine's voice was firm, relentless. "You hurt me, too."

Azimio and his friend exchanged a glance, and then shrugged. "Well, if that's how you want it to be-"

A burst of motion cut him off, and then the redhead was staggering back, Blaine's strong arms forcing him away with one hard shove.

Kurt bit back a gasp. In his panic, he felt tears spring to his eyes, and then blinked them away quickly. Terrible visions of Blaine trying to take on both boys at once exploded in his mind. Desperately, he launched himself between them, blocking the redhead's attempt at a rebounding push.

"Kurt, _move!_"

"Shove off, fairy boy!"

A large hand gripped his arm, yanking him back as Blaine and the redhead charged at each other.

"Excuse me! What's going on here?"

Kurt breathed a sigh of relief as the hand quickly dropped its grip on him and the angry flurry of motion around him stopped. In place of all this was Ms. Pillsbury, her heels clicking rapidly as she made her way from her office to their end of the hall.

"Is there a problem here, boys?" she asked, her eyes like saucers as she held each of their gazes for a moment. She seemed tiny compared to the bulk of the football players; still, she was an authority figure, and that was all that mattered.

"Naw, we were just leaving," Azimio answered casually, to which Blaine shot him an icy glare.

The redhead frowned, his fists still clenched at his sides. He looked far from ready to walk away, but with the guidance counselor's eyes on him and Azimio nudging him in the direction of the door, he didn't have much of a choice.

When the two had finally disappeared out the main exit, Ms. Pillsbury looked to Kurt, and then Blaine. "Are you boys alright?" she asked.

Kurt nodded shakily. "Yes, we'll be okay now," he replied around the lingering tremor in his voice. "Thank you." Blaine just stared at the ground.

Ms. Pillsbury's eyes were sad, but she seemed convinced enough of their safety. "I'll be right in my office if you need anything," she promised and, after giving Kurt's arm a reassuring squeeze, turned on her heel and walked back down the hall.

Kurt squeezed his eyes shut, trying to clear his head. They had been doing _so well_ at maintaining Blaine's identity around the school. He had been just another student, flying under the radar and out of harm's way. Now that the truth was out, though, he would be just another target.

Kurt couldn't stand the thought of watching Blaine intercept so much hate every day. Especially not when he was finally in a place of victory, a place away from his father where he didn't have to fake a bad reputation.

Finally, Blaine's voice broke the silence. "I don't know why you won't let me help you."

"Because you won't let me help _you!"_ Kurt burst out, moving forward so that he and Blaine were face-to-face. It felt as though all of his frustrations and fears were exploding out of him at once. "You're putting yourself in these situations when you and I both know that all it's going to do is hurt you! And you know what, Blaine? It hurts me, too!"

Blaine's mouth opened partway as if to speak. He closed it again, eyes narrowing. "Kurt, you think I'm _trying _to hurt you? I did that so those guys would stop harassing you!"

"I've been taking care of myself just _fine_ for the past few years! What makes you think I need you all of a sudden?" Kurt blinked, his eyes flooding with tears. Since when had he and Blaine been so disconnected? He had been sure they understood one another… now Blaine's presence just felt stifling and confusing.

"Kurt, this is getting irrational."

"Just… stop." Kurt felt the weight of a heavy tear as it trailed down his cheek, warm and wet and so, so wrong. He and Blaine were supposed to see eye-to-eye. Even with their differences, even when things got difficult and nothing seemed right, they had each other. Since when had that changed?

Suddenly, the way Blaine had been acting all week made sense. He had seemed quieter, uptight… Kurt had never considered that he was unhappy with _him_, of all people, when there were so many other issues they had to deal with. Not that Kurt blamed him, but- had Blaine been honest from the beginning- maybe they could have worked something out. But, no. He had kept his thoughts to himself, and then took matters into his own hands at the worst possible time.

Kurt inhaled a long, shaky breath and turned his face away to avoid Blaine's gaze. "I can't talk to you about this anymore." He bit his lip, blinking, his vision blurred by tears. "I have to go m-meet Mercedes and get ready for the party."

Out of the corner of his eye, Kurt saw Blaine's expression change ever so slightly, regret in his eyes. He looked hurt. "Fine," he stated. And because the tone of his voice betrayed not just pain, but irritation, Kurt gave up. Blaine was angry with him, and he was none too happy with Blaine, either.

Kurt was out the door in seconds.


	19. Thriller Night

_**Author's Note:**__** Hello. I'm actually surprised that this didn't take me longer to post… mostly because I've been very busy, and also because it's an intense part of the story that needed a lot of work. But, naturally, I got excited and just kept on writing! I hope I pulled it together nicely. Leave me your thoughts! :)**_

_**And, yes, the title is based off the song, which is also worked into the chapter. Although, it is honestly just a coincidence to the fact that they're doing a Michael Jackson tribute episode; I couldn't help myself when I realized how well it fit into this chapter. **_

_**Okay, here it is. As always, thank you for your wonderful reviews and encouragement. Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. Song credits in this chapter go to Michael Jackson: "Thriller." **_

~Chapter 19: Thriller Night~

Blaine followed Tina through the door and into a world of make-believe. Under flashing lights, the bodies of a hundred different creatures intermingled. The house was huge and had been rearranged perfectly to fit the many guests as they danced and showed off their disguised appearances. But from the noise of the people laughing all around him to the sight of happy couples and excited groups of friends, Blaine found himself feeling very out of place.

His thoughts were stuck on Kurt.

He didn't know why he had let Tina talk him into this. For one thing, he certainly was not in the mood for partying- he would have much rather sulked in his room for the night. He also wasn't so sure that he was prepared to confront Kurt yet. They had a lot to talk about, and chances were that Kurt was still angry and wouldn't even want to see him.

Blaine was practically walking back out the front door when Tina linked her arm through his and led him across the room to where a group of New Directions members had gathered. Among them, Blaine caught a glimpse of Mercedes… but no Kurt. Blaine frowned, unsure whether to feel relieved or disappointed by his absence.

"You look good, Blaine!" Brittany called over the blaring music.

Blaine winced slightly at the volume of her voice, and then forced a smile. "Thanks, Brit," he answered, glancing over her outfit and trying to formulate a compliment. Unfortunately, it was hard to determine what she was supposed to be- her costume looked like a combination of the Cheshire Cat and Cinderella. "You look… um, what are you?"

Brittany smiled, apparently unsurprised by his dilemma. "I'm Lord Tubbington in drag, duh!"

Grinning in return, Blaine nodded and hoped she didn't notice how confused he was. She was a sweet girl, after all, even if she didn't make any sense most of the time… and assumed that he was familiar with this Lord Tubbing-Whatever.

"Did you see Kurt yet? He went to go get me some punch. His outfit's really pretty." She glanced down at her own costume and frowned. "I would have looked prettier than him, but Lord Tubb has awful fashion sense."

Blaine shook his head, trying his best to look sympathetic as he fought back a laugh. He was about to give in and ask who Brittany was talking about when something caught his eye.

He almost forgot his own name.

Approaching their group was a boy, and he was dressed entirely in white. He wore impossibly tight jeans, tall boots, and a loose shirt that had been carefully adjusted on one side to reveal the perfect skin at his shoulder. And then there were the wings, protruding from his back like two beautiful, iridescent flower petals. Kurt.

Blaine remembered that day when they had first met, when Kurt had looked so innocent, too pretty to ignore. He remembered seeing him broken and scared after Karofsky had forced that kiss on him. And then the night Kurt had come to take care of Blaine at the theatre, in the cold and rainy darkness. He remembered waking up to Kurt in the hospital, his throat still burning with the taste of smoke…

The realization hit with full-on force. Kurt had always been his angel.

x.x.x

Kurt stopped in his tracks, his eyes locking with Blaine's. He was caught off-guard at the sight of him, but it was his costume that surprised Kurt the most. Blaine was Rockstar Boy all over again, like the first time Kurt had ever seen him. The leather jacket, the dark jeans… everything. He looked like the boy who rode motorcycles, the boy who had the guts to run into burning buildings. He looked like the sort of person who could stand up to people, no matter what they thought of him, especially to help someone he cared about.

Blaine was strong. He was Kurt's hero, his rockstar.

x.x.x

The pulsing bass came to an abrupt stop. In that brief moment of silence, Blaine felt the world kick back into gear. It was like all the clocks had stopped when he'd laid eyes on Kurt and realized that he didn't want to fight anymore.

As a slow song began to play, couples swayed and held each other close. Everything felt softer all of a sudden, quieter. Kurt dropped his gaze and moved closer to the group. He looked to Brittany, offering her the glass of punch he was holding. She took it with a smile. "Thanks, Kurt," she said. "See, Blaine? I told you he looked awesome."

Kurt blushed faintly, glancing down again and then sneaking a gaze at Blaine through his eyelashes. It was strange to see Kurt so shy and quiet. They had been so close, and now it felt as though there were miles between them.

Blaine swallowed hard and nodded his agreement. "He does," he replied softly.

Kurt's lips twitched upward. "You really think so?"

Blaine couldn't take it anymore- it was clearly impossible to be angry at Kurt Hummel. In response, he laughed softly and offered him a hand. Kurt hesitated for a moment, and then their fingers intertwined, and Blaine led Kurt to an empty corner of the room.

Kurt looked at him before letting out a heavy sigh. "Blaine-" he started.

"Wait, Kurt, I have to tell you something," Blaine interjected. He took Kurt's other hand, clasping both between them. Then the words poured out, bringing with them all of his feelings, worries, and regrets. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I never meant to make you scared or upset. Maybe you've noticed that I tend to make quick decisions, and sometimes I choose the riskiest option, but I always have good intentions. You've done so much for me and I just want to keep you safe and make you happy, but I'm… I'm nowhere near as grounded and smart as you are. You _know_ who you are, and I just feel like I'm floating around trying to prove that I'm actually good enough for someone like you. Because I'm not- no one is- and you don't deserve to feel like someone you trust is turning against you any more than you deserve to have a couple of sweaty football jerks giving you a hard time."

Kurt's eyes sparkled as he turned his head and gazed across the room. He let out a single, soft laugh, like a breath of air, and then returned his eyes to meet Blaine's. "I'm sorry, too," he admitted. "I've been acting like a control freak. I mean, as if you need more stress in your life. I should have been there for you to help you get through your first weeks of school, but instead I made you stay away." He paused and squeezed Blaine's hand tightly. "I know I tried to justify the things I did but the whole idea was selfish to begin with and I didn't have any right to make you feel so alone. I don't want you to be alone. Ever. No matter what people say or do. Because they can't touch us. Or what we have."

Blaine just stared at Kurt, completely at a loss for the words to describe how he felt. Love had never had any real meaning to him until Kurt came around, and now he finally understood why people wrote songs and books about it, why it was the one aspect of life people craved more than anything. "Dance with me?" he asked, smiling and feeling ridiculous because he didn't know what else to say, but that was alright.

Kurt laughed and pulled his arms around Blaine's neck, leaning into him with a happy sigh. "Anytime."

Blaine wrapped his own arms around Kurt, taking care to avoid the beautifully-crafted wings. Together, they moved gently to the music, until the song ended and Kurt looked up to meet Blaine's eyes. And despite the fact that they were in a crowded room and surrounded by people who simply would never understand, Kurt leaned in and softly pressed his lips to Blaine's.

Things were changing.

x.x.x

Blaine pulled away from Kurt at the sudden uproar of voices from across the room. The guests near the front door looked alarmed, and many were creeping out of the way like frightened animals, avoiding something just beyond his sight.

"Where is he? I know he's in here!"

Blaine staggered back at the infuriated voice as it carried over the murmuring party-goers. That voice…

That voice.

_No._

God, no. Not here. Not now.

…And then the music started to play again, the only sound rising above the roar in Blaine's ears...

"_It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark.  
>Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart…"<em>

"You can't hide from me anymore, boy. Show yourself and face me like a man. If that's what you really are. Come on, where the hell are you?"

"_You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it.  
>You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes.<br>You're paralyzed."_

Blaine's breath felt labored, like all the oxygen had been instantaneously sucked out of the room. His eyes widened in shock, and everything around him seemed to fade into nothingness. "Kurt," he choked out, his gaze still trained in the direction of the voice. "Kurt, we have to- we have to get out of here-"

Quinn stormed into sight, clearing a path to the front of the room. All around her, guests moved out of the way to make room for the voluminous skirts of her fairytale ballgown. "Excuse me!" she snapped. "What the hell is going on?"

_"__And no one's gonna save you from the beast about strike-"_

Ignoring her, the source of the voice- a dark-haired man in a t-shirt, jeans, and work boots- shoved his way into the room, his eyes searching intently as he scanned the many faces.

Blaine shrunk back. He could hear Kurt speaking, but it was hard to make out the words, as everything else in the room had evaporated.

Everything except for the man's eyes as they landed on him.

Hazel eyes. Blaine's eyes.

"Blaine," Kurt said softly. "That's him, isn't it?"

_"__You're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight."_

God, Blaine didn't want to answer that question. He swallowed thickly, repositioning himself so that Kurt was safe behind him. Then he watched his father begin to stride forward. Blaine nodded once. "Yes. It's him."

x.x.x

Kurt watched the man come closer, and it was as if all the worst fears he and Blaine had shared over the past few weeks were charging straight for them. He felt his hands shaking, his mouth bone-dry. They had to do something. Fast.

"Blaine-" Kurt said, reaching for his arm in an attempt to pull him back.

And then Mr. Anderson punched Blaine hard in the jaw, and all hell broke loose. "You useless, deceiving little faggot."

"_You hear the door slam and realize there's nowhere left to run.  
>You feel the cold hand and wonder if you'll ever see the sun."<em>

Blaine staggered back into Kurt, who caught him under the arms as girls around them began to shriek.

"Hey, lay off, man!" Finn burst out loudly, breaking through the crowd and roughly shoving Mr. Anderson away.

"No, Finn, stop-"

Finn threw a glance over his shoulder at Kurt as Mr. Anderson struggled against him. "I can handle it. You guys get out of here. Just… go. Hurry."

"_You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination.  
>But all the while you hear the creature creeping up behind.<br>You're out of time."_

Blaine turned to Kurt and offered a hand, his eyes huge and scared and pleading. Kurt blinked at the sight of the bruise forming on the side of his face, the blood trickling from his swollen lip...

"Don't you dare try to run away from me!" Mr. Anderson barked. Blaine ignored him, keeping his gaze on Kurt, waiting for him.

In the midst of his struggle against Finn's restraint, Mr. Anderson's eyes found Kurt's for a moment, and Kurt was frozen by the hate they exhibited. It almost physically hurt to look into those eyes.

"Kurt, just go!" Tina appeared behind him, shoving him towards Blaine.

"_There ain't no second chance against the thing with forty eyes-"_

At last, Kurt grabbed Blaine's hand, and they burst into a run, passing a horrified-looking Quinn on the way out the front door, ignoring Mr. Anderson's protests as he shouted after them…

"_Night creatures calling, the dead start to walk in their masquerade.  
>There's no escaping the jaws of the alien this time.<br>This is the end of your life."_


	20. Runaway

_**Author's Note:**__** Hello again, my dears! **_

_**Well, I hope you liked that little twist at the end of the last chapter. Gotta love drama. ;) Now that we have reached this point, though, I suppose I should mention that we're nearing the end. I figure this story will be (roughly) between twenty-five and thirty chapters in total. At the end, I'll let you know what my next projects might be, just in case anyone's interested in reading more. :) **_

_**Anyway, thank you for your reviews, and enjoy this next chapter!**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 20: Runaway~

They ran.

They ran in cold darkness, the only sounds fading into the background as Kurt's car came into view. He had parked half a block from the house. In reality, he knew that it wasn't all that far away, but the knowledge that Mr. Anderson could have already broken free of Finn's grasp made every inch feel like a mile.

When they at last reached the car, Kurt was shaking almost too violently to unlock the doors. He finally succeeded, only to find himself groaning exasperatedly at the sight of someone barreling out of Quinn's house.

Blaine's gaze followed to where the figure was rushing toward a parked car on the opposite end of the street. "Give me the keys!"

Kurt complied without hesitation, leaping into the passenger's seat as Blaine got behind the wheel and instantly hit the gas. The engine growled, and then the car was speeding to the end of the road and whipping around the first turn. Kurt locked his eyes on the area behind them, keeping an eye out for following headlights.

Then he saw him.

"Blaine, he's right behind us!"

Blaine's eyes widened as he stared at the red stoplight in front of them. There was nowhere to go but forward, and stopping here would only give Mr. Anderson a chance to follow them more closely. It was now or never. "Okay, hang on!"

"Blaine, you've got to be kidding me-"

An angry chorus of horns rang out between the squealing of tires on asphalt as Blaine lurched into the traffic, swerving expertly to avoid an oncoming taxi. Kurt barely blinked an eye- though he wasn't entirely sure he could have done so if he had wanted to- and then the other cars were behind them. It took a moment for him to realize that they were alive and had made it out of the intersection in one piece.

Okay, so this was the only time Kurt would ever be thankful for Blaine's tendency to push the speed limit.

Twisting around to stare out the window again, Kurt watched as the vehicle Mr. Anderson had been driving steadily shrunk into the distance. Then Blaine turned a corner, and it was gone entirely.

Kurt let out a heavy sigh and collapsed back into his seat. "Oh my god…" he choked out, his stomach turning viciously as the car flew around another turn. "God, I can't believe this is happening. I think I'm gonna be sick."

Blaine reached out, his fingers gripping Kurt's, steadying him. "Kurt, breathe. We lost him. It's okay."

Kurt's chest heaved as he tried to obtain a full breath, focusing on the cool feeling of Blaine's fingertips against his skin. Mostly, though, he was just trying to disperse the memory of Mr. Anderson's terrible eyes staring him down, threatening him. "Blaine, w-where are we going?" he asked finally, glancing to his left and wincing at the sight of blood left untouched on Blaine's face.

Blaine's grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles going white. Kurt caught a glint of panic in his eyes. "I… I don't know," he said. "But we can't go back."

Kurt's stomach lurched again. "Blaine, he must know _something _to have shown up at Quinn's party! What if he goes to my house next? My dad's there!"

Blaine's expression darkened. "I know," he answered, his gaze locked on the road ahead. "That's why we can't turn around. Everyone will be safer if they don't have anything to hide. The only thing he's really going to want to know is where to find me."

Kurt blinked, his breath coming in short, unsteady gasps as he tried to clear his head long enough to work out a solution. If they turned back, Mr. Anderson would track them down and inevitably attack Blaine. If they stayed away, his family and the Cohen-Changs would all be confused and in danger. He wanted so badly to go home and make sure no one had been hurt, but what choice did they have?

With trembling hands, Kurt slid his cell phone from his pocket and sent a short text message to his father, Finn, and Tina:

**With Blaine. We're safe. Please get out of Lima as soon as possible- go where he won't find you. Tell the police what happened. Be careful.**

Kurt stared at his phone for a long moment, hating what he had to do next. He wanted to talk to _somebody_, to find out what had happened since they had left the party. He wanted to make sure someone knew where they were headed, just in case. Blaine was right, though- the less everyone knew, the safer they would be. And Kurt was sure that the sound of panic in his own father's voice would break his restraint entirely.

Sending out a silent prayer to the dwarf on the dark side of the moon that the others would be able to handle the situation without him, Kurt shut off his phone and shoved it back into his pocket.

Blaine drove and drove, until Kurt lost track of where they were and was too tired to try to figure it out. Finally, they arrived in a small, quiet town with a motel advertising vacancies. Blaine parked so that they were mostly hidden behind a tree, making no move to leave the car once it had stopped. "Guess this is it for the night…" he said, eyes on the building in front of them. The lights on the neon sign over its main entrance flickered unenthusiastically. "I mean, it's no five-star resort or anything, but…"

"It's fine, Blaine." Kurt sighed, looking from his own disheveled appearance to Blaine's bloodied face. They had bigger problems to worry about than finding a comfortable place to sleep for the night. "Then again, I doubt if anyone's going to give us a place to stay while we look like this." He leaned over, opening the glove box and digging around. A moment later, he held up a tissue, turning to Blaine and wiping at his lip and chin carefully. "Does it hurt?"

Blaine averted his eyes. "I've had worse," he answered automatically. Kurt winced at this, sinking into the realization that Blaine was undeniably telling the truth.

Eventually, Kurt finished his cleaning process and declared Blaine presentable enough to leave the car. He turned to open the door. "You might want to ditch the wings first," Blaine suggested with a little smirk.

Kurt backtracked. "Oh, wow, I completely forgot," he said. Gingerly, he pulled the wings from his shoulders. One looked bent beyond repair; the other was ruffled and messy. Unfortunately, he had neglected to protect them amidst the panic. "Guess I won't be wearing this costume again," he muttered, tucking the wings together dejectedly and placing them in the backseat.

"It was nice while it lasted," Blaine offered. He glanced down at his own outfit. "Think we look suspicious?"

"Well, it is Halloween. I'm sure there have been lots of bizarre-looking people walking around all night. Let's just go in there and hope for the best, shall we?"

Blaine nodded, turning to open the car door. Kurt adjusted his shirt and did the same, trying to ignore the incessant feeling of nervousness that had settled in his gut. It was irrational, obviously. They were being hunted down by a violent, enraged man, Kurt didn't know what condition his family was in at the moment, and he had no idea where he and Blaine were or what they would do in the morning. And yet, his heart was pounding, his thoughts lost on the fact that he had a night completely alone with Blaine.

x.x.x

The room wasn't bad, with its decent-looking bathroom and thankfully clean interior. It wasn't good, either, but then again Blaine had made no high expectations. They were runaways, and this was their hideout. And it was small and terribly decorated, with a bed that squeaked when he went to sit down on it, but it would have to do. Blaine was sure he could have driven no more if he'd tried; he was so tired. Unfortunately, the shock had settled in along with the exhaustion, clenching at his nerves and leaving no leeway for rest.

He sat, staring at his hands, trying and failing to ignore the monotonous ache in his jaw. His head pounded, his thoughts a mess.

Why did all this have to happen to him? And why now?

Blaine didn't notice Kurt's presence behind him until he felt a pair of hands at his shoulders. "You're freaking out, aren't you?" he asked, fingers skillfully kneading the tense muscles under Blaine's skin. He could almost hear his body relaxing at the touch, as though a steam had built up inside of him and Kurt was permitting it to escape.

Blaine sighed heavily, half relief and half distress. "It's just… so much has been happening lately…"

Kurt hummed in agreement, massaging his hands along Blaine's spine. "I know, but… we're safe here." He paused, as if taking special care in choosing his next words. "He won't hurt you again."

Biting his lip, Blaine tried not to focus on the fact that Kurt might be wrong. Surely his father could evade the police yet again. For all they knew, Finn had been hurt after they had left the party. Mr. Anderson could have found Blaine's mother, or Burt, or Tina, and turned on them for helping Blaine. He could have been waiting just around the corner, on the other side of the motel room door…

"God, Blaine, you're so tense," Kurt commented, working his way back to where Blaine's shoulders had visibly tightened at the thought of his father. "Stop worrying so much."

"I can't."

Kurt laughed under his breath, shifting his weight so that he was closer to Blaine, his mouth just inches from his ear. "You _can_," Kurt countered softly. "I'm not sure of a lot of things, but I'm almost positive we're going to be completely fine tonight. Just relax."

Blaine shivered as Kurt's lips grazed the base of his neck. His hands compressed and released again in a perfect rhythm, until at last all the stress in Blaine's body let loose and he collapsed back into Kurt.

"Feeling better yet?" Kurt smirked, dropping a quick kiss on Blaine's cheek.

Blaine nodded slowly, suddenly very much aware of how utterly _alone_ he and Kurt were at the moment, how close they were, how incredible Kurt's touch had made him feel and how desperately he wanted more. The words were out of Blaine's mouth before he had a chance to think better of them. "Can I kiss you?"

Kurt laughed, his eyes shining in the dim light of the lamp beside the bed. "Do you have to ask?"

"I like to." Blaine smiled a little, resting his forehead against Kurt's. It felt as though it had been ages since he had felt so weightless and happy… Kurt certainly knew how to work miracles on his spirit.

Kurt's eyelids fluttered shut. Blaine could feel his breath against his own mouth, warm and sweet and inviting, and all around him was the smell of Kurt, something like a mix of coffee and vanilla. It seemed that Blaine was drowning, getting lost in Kurt, Kurt, _Kurt. _Everything Kurt.

Delicate fingers traced a pattern across Blaine's back and down his arms. A jolt of pleasure shot through him like electricity, his eyes rolling involuntarily at the sensation. How was he supposed to think about _anything_ with Kurt touching him like that? "You're so…" Blaine's words caught in his throat, only to be replaced by some other noise, something between a hum and a moan and a sigh that he couldn't quite name.

"Yeah?" Kurt murmured as their lips met, soft and familiar.

Blaine couldn't help himself… he wanted Kurt. His hands seemed to travel of their own accord, moving up to tangle in the back of his boyfriend's carefully styled hair. "So _attractive,_" he breathed, bringing his lips to Kurt's again.

Kurt froze in surprise, and Blaine pulled back to meet his gaze. "Wait," Kurt said. "Are you saying the fact that I can give a decent massage makes me sexy? Because I don't-"

"Hell _yes_," Blaine interjected with a laugh, his face lighting up at the faint blush that began to spread over Kurt's face. He smiled, resting a hand on Kurt's cheek and reveling in the warmth there beneath his fingertips. "But… but it's not just that," Blaine added, voice softer now. "You're beautiful. Everything about you." Blaine let his hand fall to where it rested just over Kurt's heart. He felt its beat- steady, full of life, all Kurt. "I never could have imagined finding someone as perfect as you."

Kurt scoffed quietly, lowering his gaze. "I'm nowhere near perfect."

Tilting his head to meet Kurt's eyes again, Blaine smiled. "You are to me," he said. "You turned my whole life around."

"Blaine-"

"You know, you never really answered my question."

Kurt looked up, confused. "What question?"

Blaine leaned forward a bit, his eyes never leaving Kurt's. "Can I kiss you?" he repeated.

Kurt's lips twitched upward and he rolled his eyes. "You're ridiculous," he said, catching Blaine's mouth in a long, lingering kiss. He broke away eventually, breathless, his eyes shining as they met Blaine's gaze. "We should get some sleep," he added gently. Suddenly, Blaine realized how tired he really was, and how tired he must have appeared in order for Kurt to notice.

Blaine wanted to stay awake. He wanted to spend all of forever kissing Kurt, holding him, touching him, telling him all the things he loved about him… But, too exhausted to fight the consciousness slipping from his body, he found himself drifting off.

Kurt's eyes were the last thing he saw, and then he was dreaming.


	21. Sticks and Stones

_**Author's Note:**__** Hey there! So sorry! This took WAY too long to update… I've been working on a few new stories, plus I had really awful writer's block. Bad combination. But, I finally figured out what to do with this chapter, and I'm back at last. :) It's short, but at least it's something and it helped me get out of my block. So, enjoy this next part!**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 21: Sticks and Stones~

Blaine awoke feeling groggy and a little disoriented. It took him a minute to recall the reasons behind the dull ache in his jaw, the unfamiliar room surrounding him. He blinked, staring around and hoping that maybe, somehow, it had all just been a terrible dream.

His eyes landed on Kurt. He sat in front of the window, looking out into the early-morning sunlight with a distant expression on his face. His cell phone rested silently in his hand like a dead weight.

"Are you alright?"

Kurt startled, turning to look at Blaine with wide eyes. In the next second, he blinked, and his eyes seemed tired, weary. Blaine didn't know what to make of it. "I… I checked my voicemail," Kurt answered, biting his lip. "One of them… I didn't recognize the number, b-but…"

The tone of his voice was enough to scare Blaine into full consciousness. He got up, moving to stand in front of Kurt. "What's going on?"

Kurt stared out the window, his eyes swimming with tears. "It was your dad. I d-don't know how he got my number. I'm scared, Blaine."

Blaine felt his blood boil as all the fears that had taken over his body the previous night slipped away. How could he allow himself to be so helpless and _afraid_ when Kurt needed him? Suddenly, Blaine didn't want to hide anymore. He wanted to fight back. He wanted to yell and scream and punch and kick. He wanted his father to feel all the pain he had ever inflicted on anybody else.

"Can I listen to it?" Blaine said, battling to keep his voice steady as he glanced down at Kurt's phone.

Kurt was silent for a long moment, and his voice shook when he answered. "N-no… I erased the message," he replied.

Blaine let out a frustrated sigh. _Damn._ He had wanted to hear the message for himself so that his anger could be justified, so that Kurt wouldn't be the only one with the weight on his shoulders. But now the tangible aspect of it was gone, and there was no proof that it had even existed in the first place. "Why would you do that?" he shot back. "We could have shown it to the police."

Kurt's shoulders slumped, making him appear much smaller and suddenly vulnerable. He looked so young, so shaken and uncertain.

This was his_ boyfriend._ This was Kurt, who had been strong for Blaine whenever he needed him, and now Kurt was scared and hurt and just needed to be held close. He needed Blaine to be here with him, getting him through the moment and telling him everything would get better soon.

Blaine's expression softened instantly. This wasn't Kurt's fault, after all, and what he needed now was support, not anger. Cautiously, he reached out and rested a reassuring hand on Kurt's arm. Kurt reached up and knotted their fingers together securely. "I freaked out," he admitted finally. "I realized it was s-stupid to delete a message like that as soon as I'd done it. I guess I didn't really think it through. It's just that h-he s-said all these terrible things a-and I just…"

Blaine gave in and pulled Kurt into a tight hug before he could finish his sentence. There was absolutely no reason why anyone should have to wake up to a call like that. Especially not Kurt. "I understand. It's alright... it's gonna be alright. We're gonna be okay," he soothed, rubbing gentle circles into Kurt's back with his hand.

Kurt moved to meet Blaine's eyes. "W-what should we do?" he asked, wiping his sleeve across his cheeks to catch the tears that had escaped.

"I don't know," Blaine sighed. He reached out to swipe the pad of his thumb over a tiny droplet that glimmered just below Kurt's eyelashes. "But I think we have to go back soon."

"Not yet." Kurt buried his face in Blaine's neck. Blaine felt his body shaking against his own. "I don't want to go back yet."

"Kurt…"

"I'm scared, Blaine. I'm scared that he knows where I live. He must know who I am and how to find me; he called my cell phone." Kurt paused, and Blaine heard the way his breath shuddered, heard the desperate plea in his voice. "I don't want to face this yet, Blaine. Please."

That was the part that Blaine couldn't stand. Why should Kurt have to deal with something like this in the first place? He hated being the one to have brought so many complications into Kurt's world. He wondered how things would have been different had he never spoken to Kurt that day at Dalton. It was strange how just a few weeks of togetherness could change everything.

"Okay," Blaine said at last, a plan steadily falling into place in his mind. He could sense the adjustment within himself, the sudden calm in his voice. He could do this. He could pull himself together, if only for one more day. If only for Kurt's sake. "Call the others, make sure they're safe. Find out where they're staying. We'll go back to your house so you can get whatever you need, and then meet up with everyone else. We'll all be safe and together… and the police will have a chance to work on finding my dad while we're away. How does that sound?"

Kurt chewed his lip, visibly picking the idea apart in his mind. "Will we be alright if we stop at my house, do you think?" he wondered.

Blaine nodded. "We'll be in and out pretty quickly. It'll give you a chance to get some of your things together, and then we'll be out of there."

"What about you?"

"We can go to Tina's after."

Kurt's eyes met Blaine's, and he nodded slowly. "Okay," he said. His voice was suddenly determined, steadied. Just what Blaine had hoped for. "Let's do it."

x.x.x

The house was dead silent.

Kurt tried to ignore the chills that shivered down his spine every time he rounded a corner or a floorboard creaked. He was terrified that something would jump out at him, that maybe Mr. Anderson had broken in somehow and they just hadn't realized it yet. Keeping close to Blaine, Kurt made his way up to his bedroom, their single goal echoing in his mind like a mantra.

_Go to the house. Get out quickly. Go to Tina's. Go to meet the others._

He had talked to Finn that morning on the phone. Naturally, no one had been happy to hear that Kurt had intentionally ignored their frantic calls, but the assurance that he and Blaine were alright had pacified them, at least for now. Finn had given Kurt the address of Tina's aunt's house where they were staying and directions for how to get there. Carole had told them to be safe, to arrive as soon as possible, and to remember that everything would be back to normal soon.

Kurt wished he could recall what _normal_ felt like.

"Kurt."

Blaine stood in the doorway to Kurt's room, staring at something inside with wide eyes. Kurt felt his breath catch in his throat, a feeling like dizziness erupting in his head. There were a million things that could be beyond that door, most of which Kurt was certain he would not want to see. He swallowed hard.

"Look," Blaine said softly, stepping out of the way so that Kurt could peer inside. He hesitated for a long moment, and then moved to take Blaine's place in the doorway.

His room was no different than he had left it. Books on the shelves, clothes tucked in the closet, schoolwork piled neatly across the desk. No sound rang out, save the softly ticking clock that echoed from down the hall. Everything was peaceful, normal.

Except for the softball-sized rock that rested on the floor of Kurt's bedroom, surrounded by shards of glass. Eyes trailing slowly up to the window, Kurt caught sight of the damage, a jagged hole right through the center.

He didn't think just anyone would have done this.

Blaine let out a long breath beside him. Words seemed unnecessary in that moment for whatever reason, so Kurt said nothing, instead simply staring at the rock, at the broken glass. At what was undoubtedly a threat from Richard Anderson.

"Come on," Blaine murmured finally, walking into the room and opening the door to Kurt's closet. "Let's just do what we came here for and get out."

Kurt nodded numbly and walked forward to stand beside Blaine, who took his hand with a comforting squeeze. Kurt loved the way their fingers fit together.

He reached into the closet with his free hand, fingers just barely brushing the fabric of the gray jacket he had worn the day he first volunteered at Dalton Reform. The day he had met Blaine.

The day things had changed.

Out of nowhere, a sound from downstairs reverberated through the house, roaring in Kurt's ears and leaving him frozen in place, stunned. It was the sound of a crash, and then the sound of distant footsteps.

It was also the realization that they were not at all alone.


	22. Battle

_**Author's Note:**__** Ladies and gentlemen, I have returned. And I am aware that it has been way, way, WAY too long, but better late than never, right? I wish I had a better excuse for leaving on such an unexpected and extended hiatus, but it was really just a combination of several things that kept me away (including trying to write a decent finale for this thing I've created here). Nevertheless, I hope some of you are still interested in reading the ending. This is either the last chapter or next-to-last chapter before the epilogue, I haven't decided yet (so, yes, there's more after this). I also may or may not start posting new stories soon… keep an eye out if you like. Thank you for your support, as always, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter. :)**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Chapter 22: Battle~

There was a second crash downstairs, the sound of breaking glass sending Kurt's body into a shaking fit. Blaine looked to him helplessly, the fear Kurt felt mirrored in his own eyes. They were trapped.

"We have to do something," Blaine whispered hastily, searching Kurt's face for a sign that he hadn't completely gone into shock. "I'll go-"

"Don't leave me!" Kurt burst out, his voice hushed and choked by panic. "It- it has to be him. He'll hurt you, B-Blaine. He… he's-"

"Sssh." Blaine placed a hand on Kurt's cheek. Since the very beginning, this had been his battle, his burden; it had weighed him down and fought against him and made him forget who he really was. Now, though, Blaine understood himself so much better. At last it was time to face up to his fears and show his father just how strong he had become… how strong Kurt had helped him to become.

Blaine held Kurt's gaze for a long moment. "I'm going to take care of this," he said finally, each word sure and steady. "This is the last time we'll ever have to deal with him again. I promise."

Kurt watched in stunned silence as Blaine walked away. He sank to the floor, curling in on himself, a million questions swimming through his mind. What was Blaine going to do? What was _he_ supposed to do? What if Blaine…?

What if Blaine didn't come back?

_No._

Kurt shook his head, and- with trembling yet determined fingers- reached into his pocket for his cell phone. He would _not_ sit here helplessly and become the victim. Blaine was not going to be hurt- not again. Not on Kurt's watch.

If Blaine had the bravery to face up to his father, then Kurt would do whatever he could to help.

They were going to make this right.

x.x.x

_He used to tell me that I was a terrible person. Worthless. And if he got really annoyed, he would hit me. _

Blaine felt the blood pounding in his ears as he silently descended the stairs. Fear, anger, an ever-lingering sense of betrayal… so many feelings flowed through him, so many emotions he could never shake, no matter how hard he tried…

_ He's just trying to punish you, Blaine. You've got to tell him it's been long enough. Scary as it is, nothing's ever going to change unless you have a little courage, right? Show him that he can't control you. _

And Kurt's words kept echoing in his mind. Kurt, who had changed everything. He owed it to Kurt to fix things now.

_You know who you are, and I just feel like I'm floating around trying to prove that I'm actually good enough for someone like you._

Blaine's father appeared at the base of the stairs. For a moment, there was total silence between them. Empty, haunting silence.

"Would you kill me?"

Richard Anderson stared back and let out a single, harsh laugh. "What about you, Blaine? Would you kill your own family?"

"It's not about family."

Blaine forced himself not to cringe at the sight of Mr. Anderson's cruel smile. He had seen that smile one too many times to give in at the sight of it. "Ah, of course," Mr. Anderson said, his voice softer, teasing. "So it's to be a fight to the death, is it?" He stepped back, held his arms out to the sides in surrender. "Kill me, then."

Dramatics. That's what this was really about. Mr. Anderson wanted to see Blaine break down and react, just like that night when he had pushed him down the stairs. He needed an excuse to call Blaine the bad guy, the escaped reform school student who had started all the trouble in the first place.

Maybe, at one time, Blaine would have taken the bait. But with Kurt so close and so significant, he felt a pull at his thoughts, like an anchor keeping him focused. There was nothing to prove here but that he could be the better man, if only for the sake of protecting the person he'd fallen in love with.

"I won't," Blaine said simply. His words were quiet but seemed to echo back at him and ring in his ears with volume.

He watched his father's expression change as he began to laugh. "I should have known you wouldn't have it in you. You were never much of a man, anyway. Wouldn't have been a fair fight, really."

Blaine didn't feel that he was moving, only that he had somehow come to shove his father roughly up against the nearest wall and hold him pinned. His jaw clenched and he glared up into Mr. Anderson's face. "I'll fight you like a man," he snapped, "when you become one."

His father's gaze hardened. "Do tell, Blaine," he answered, spitting the name like it had a sour taste. "What am I now?" And he threw Blaine to the ground.

Blaine barely had time to react as his skull crashed sharply into the wall and his body crumpled to the floor. The world spun. He remembered, vaguely, that Kurt was listening upstairs. He wished he could be with Kurt right now…

Kurt.

_Kurt._

Suddenly, Blaine's vision swam back into focus. A hand clutched his shirt collar and heaved him upright.

"Tell me what you think of me, fag. Or are you too scared? Huh, loser? You scared of me?"

Blaine felt an earthquake coursing through his nerves, his bones. His blood boiled. He thought of Kurt, of his mother. He thought of running into burning buildings and riding motorcycles and pretending to be tough. Of lying in Kurt's arms and knowing he was in love and that nothing else mattered because that, among all things, was real.

_"A monster. _I can't stand to call you my father."

Blaine forced himself free of Mr. Anderson's grasp and held his ground. His skin was on fire. He felt a slow trickle of liquid down the side of his face that had to be blood.

"You're not any better."

_You're not any better._

For the shortest second, it occurred to Blaine that the man standing before him had- at one time- been his hero. He had, after all, raised him as a child, brought him up to adulthood. In a way, Blaine would always be who he was because of Richard Anderson, even if he didn't like it. Because that was just the way the world worked. That was family.

Yet… Blaine wasn't himself _just_ because of his father. In fact, he was a lot of what his father never wanted him to be. He was made up of his mother, of Kurt and Burt and Tina. He was the oddest excuse for a Dalton Reform School delinquent. He was gay.

He was also his father.

And finally, _finally_… he was Blaine Anderson.

He heard the sirens then, just as the front door burst open and a flood of officers rushed inside. Kurt had called the police. He must have. He was reliable like that, smart.

Mr. Anderson's mouth opened slightly, the words he had meant to say lost somewhere in the moment when he was at last caught in handcuffs. Blaine watched quietly. It was like a dream. Or a nightmare.

_You're not any better._

Blaine's eyes met his father's, and the one thing he had waited so long to say was there, unmistakable, certain: _It's over._

Because Blaine had finally won.

Blaine had won.


	23. Epilogue

_**Author's Note:**__** Wow. Okay. We're finally at the end. I'm really bad at finishing things, so this doesn't usually happen. Nonetheless, it's kind of sad and awesome, and I'm glad to have made it to this point.**_

_**To those of you who have been with me since the beginning, jumped in partway through, or are just reading this now: THANK YOU. I seriously cherish each and every single one of your beautiful reviews. I don't think I've ever received so much wonderful feedback. As a writer I've learned so much from USST, and I can't thank you all enough for your support. :') I hope I haven't disappointed everyone with the ending… it was difficult to reconnect with this story after I decided to take a break, but I did the best I could. **_

_**So, here's to Kurt and Blaine and all the lovely, amazing USST fans. Couldn't have done this without you! **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do NOT own the show Glee. **_

~Epilogue~

Time passes. Even when everything else seems to have changed, when nothing makes sense, time continues.

Blaine found himself relying on this constant over the course of the next few weeks. Plans were made, decisions were made, changes happened. Sometimes the hours dragged along as he waited. Waited for the verdict of his father's trial in court. Waited for his mother's new therapist to estimate how long it would take for her to feel like herself again. Waited to find out if they could afford to keep the house.

But, of course, in time, everything fell into place.

"You okay?" Kurt asked one afternoon, beginning to unpack yet another cardboard box. Blaine and his mother had moved into a small, new house in Lima, hoping to start fresh. Now that Richard Anderson's fate had been decided, they had the chance to put the past behind them.

Blaine put down the ordinary, blue coffee mug he'd been holding for the past few minutes. He didn't know why it had struck him as significant, but something about picking up that old mug from his old home made him stop in his tracks. He turned to Kurt. "Is it ever going to feel normal again?" he wondered softly.

Kurt hesitated. He could imagine how Blaine was feeling. His father was in jail. It was unlikely that they would ever see each other again, at least not for a very long time. In a way, Blaine had lost a part of his family, and Kurt knew how that felt. He set the box he was holding on the floor and sighed. "Not necessarily," he answered. "It'll never feel like it used to. You'll find a new normal, though. Something that makes you happy."

A smile tugged hopefully at Blaine's lips. "I like it that you're a part of my 'normal' now." He met Kurt's eyes.

Kurt smiled back, his face lighting up with that little spark of excitement that Blaine could never get enough of. His lips quirked into something mischievous. "I like it, too," he answered. "Even though I never would have pictured myself ending up with an overly-confident, intimidating reform school miscreant like yourself."

Blaine laughed. It felt good, laughing with Kurt about the past. It made it all less scary, like maybe the "new normal" Kurt had mentioned really wasn't that far off.

"How's your mom today?" Kurt asked, slipping his hand into Blaine's casually, locking their fingers together. He took a seat on the couch- temporarily located at the edge of the kitchen- and Blaine followed after.

"Alright," Blaine replied. He'd been seeing a lot more of his mother than he was used to these days, and although he realized she was safe and in good hands, it was hard to not worry about her emotional state. If Blaine was having difficulties dealing with the events that had just taken place, his mother was a complete disaster. But she was doing her best to put the pieces back together, which was a good sign, Blaine reasoned. "I think she likes talking to your dad and Carole."

Kurt smiled softly, his thumb tracing light patterns into the back of Blaine's hand. "They'd be happy to know that."

Blaine nodded. It was quiet for a minute, and he noticed snow beginning to fall outside the window. He'd forgotten it was almost Christmastime, almost a whole new year. Soon enough, all he would have to worry about were his grades and glee club performances. He could spend all the time he wanted with his new friends, with Kurt. It seemed too good to be true, really.

And it was all simply because he had decided to say something to Kurt that one day in the hall. That day, Kurt had been a volunteer and Blaine was just a troublemaker, but somehow they'd connected.

Suddenly, Blaine smiled. He felt _alive._ He had started over, made things right, and it was finally starting to sink in.

_He could finally be himself._

Kurt saw the change in Blaine, as well. While he had always known that Blaine was more than he appeared on the surface, he now saw that there was so much more. Running from his past had been a distraction, in a way. Today, though, Blaine had the opportunity to live without all the worries and fears.

And, of course, they could focus on each other, on their relationship. Kurt was happy enough to know that.

Blaine's smile was infectious. Kurt grinned back, leaned in for a kiss, and gave Blaine's hand a tight squeeze. "I love you a lot, you know," he murmured.

"Love you, too, Pretty Boy."

"I should smack you."

"You're adorable."

"Shut up."

Laughing, Kurt dropped his head to rest against Blaine's chest. They'd been through a lot recently, but in spite of it all, they had managed to hold on to each other. And that was definitely worth all the trouble.

Even if Kurt still had to take a gym class.

Blaine let out a soft sigh, and Kurt listened to the sound of his heartbeat, steady, calming, continuous. The snow fell outside the window. Time passed, and the moment was perfect because they had each other and, finally, everyone was safe.

Things were going to be okay.

-The End-


End file.
